Amazon is upgrading its decade-old Alexa voice assistant with generative artificial intelligence and plans to charge a monthly subscription fee to offset the cost of the technology, according to people with knowledge of Amazon’s plans. The Seattle-based tech and retail giant will launch a more conversational version of Alexa later this year, potentially positioning it to better compete with new generative AI-powered chatbots from companies including Google and OpenAI, according to two sources familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions were private. Amazon’s subscription for Alexa will not be included in the $139-per-year Prime offering, and Amazon has not yet nailed down the price point, one source said. Amazon declined to comment on its plans for Alexa. While Amazon wowed consumers with Alexa’s voice-driven tasks in 2014, its capabilities could seem old-fashioned amid recent leaps in artificial intelligence. Last week, OpenAI announced GPT-4o, with the capability for two-way conversations that can go significantly deeper than Alexa. For example, it can translate conversations into different languages in real time. Google launched a similar generative-AI-powered voice feature for Gemini. Business Insider first reported on Amazon’s plans to revamp Alexa and launch a new paid subscription plan in 2024. Amazon’s former SVP of devices and services David Limp told The Verge in September that the company was considering charging for a more powerful version of Alexa.

Full report : Amazon plans to launch a more conversational Alexa later in 2024, adding generative AI features, and will charge a subscription fee to offset the cost.