MW What we know about Alexa+ - Amazon's new AI-powered voice assistant - and how the price compares to Google Gemini, ChatGPT

By Weston Blasi

Amazon revealed its upgraded Alexa+ service, which will tap generative AI to perform more advanced tasks

Alexa, what can you do for us now?

After months of speculation, Amazon.com $(AMZN)$ is officially launching Alexa+ -a generative-AI-powered upgrade to its flagship voice-controlled virtual assistant, Alexa.

The tech giant revealed Alexa+ during a product-launch event on Wednesday, noting it will use large-language models (LLMs) including Amazon's own Nova models and those from its partner Anthropic. The revamped Alexa+ can perform tasks such as making travel arrangements, planning dates nights, jumping to a favorite scene in a movie or TV show on Prime Video, or checking in on what's happened around your home during the day by asking, "Did someone take out the garbage bins?" or "When was the last time the dog went out for a walk?"

Alexa+ will cost $19.99 per month for anyone without an Amazon Prime membership, and it will roll out in the U.S. over the next few weeks, the company said. The initial rollout will begin on devices including Amazon's Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 models.

But if you are an Amazon Prime member, Alexa+ is free with your subscription. Prime memberships run $139 per year or $14.99 per month.

"While the vision of Alexa has been ambitious and incredibly compelling, right until this moment, we have been limited by technology," Amazon Devices & Services Senior Vice President Panos Panay said during the event.

"We're moving the world from chatbots to something entirely new," he added.

Here's how some rival AI products compare to the new Alexa's $19.99 price tag:

-- OpenAI's ChatGPT costs $19.99 a month for the latest version, with free options available.

-- Google's GOOGL GOOG Gemini Advanced is $19.99 per month for the latest version, with free options available.

-- Microsoft's MSFT 365 Copilot Pro is $20 a month, with free options available.

Several news outlets previously reported that Amazon was exploring the idea of charging for its Alexa service as part of a mission to monetize the product.

Shares of Amazon were 1.2% higher in Wednesday afternoon trading.

-Weston Blasi

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February 26, 2025 13:10 ET (18:10 GMT)

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