Amazon has been targeted on bringing generative AI to Alexa for the previous few years, hitting a number of delays in launching new options that the corporate first introduced in September 2023. The deferred Alexa 2.0 appears poised for a 2025 launch, as evidenced by the shock Gadgets and Providers occasion Amazon is internet hosting on the finish of the month.
Amid rumors of Alexa 2.0 shortcomings, Amazon skipped its 2024 Gadgets and Providers occasion, the place the corporate sometimes declares new Alexa options and {hardware} units. Now, the corporate plans to host an Amazon Alexa-themed occasion, the place it’s anticipated to unveil the voice assistant’s generative AI options and eventually put an ETA on its launch.
The occasion, which is able to happen on Feb. 26 in New York Metropolis, can be Panos Panay’s first since becoming a member of the Gadgets and Providers division after his Microsoft exit. However except for new Alexa options, Amazon might be getting ready to launch different units.
What to anticipate from Amazon’s February 2025 occasion
Generative AI in Alexa
That is anticipated to be the principle occasion throughout the Gadgets and Providers bulletins on the finish of February. Over the past Gadgets and Providers occasion, Amazon govt Dave Limp introduced a gen AI-powered Alexa coming to an Echo gadget close to you.
This Alexa 2.0 featured a extra pure cadence in its replies, may deal with a number of prompts in a session, and would generate content material as a substitute of offering a canned reply to questions. It might additionally function higher customization energy to recollect consumer preferences (maybe like ChatGPT’s Reminiscence) for extra productive consumer interactions.
However Amazon stated little concerning the new Alexa after the occasion, with data launched solely by means of rumors that the corporate was repeatedly compelled to delay its gen AI launch resulting from poor efficiency. When the corporate skipped final 12 months’s occasion after which despatched out invites to an occasion for Feb. 26, the logical hypothesis is that that is the daybreak of Alexa 2.0.
Whereas Alexa dominates the US marketplace for digital assistants, most well-liked by two-thirds of People, it is also just lately fallen behind different assistants, together with Google and, most just lately, Siri. The discharge of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in recent times triggered a tidal wave of generative AI that pushed different digital assistants ashore, whereas Alexa seems to have sunk to the underside of the ocean.
ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot powered by OpenAI’s applied sciences, Google Assistant powered by Gemini, and Siri powered by Apple LLMs and OpenAI have all develop into the go-to generative AI digital assistants prior to now 2.5 years. Whereas their highway to take action has been riddled with obstacles and delays, they’ve all gotten there eventually — aside from Amazon’s Alexa.
Amazon is rumored to have a ‘go, no-go’ session on Feb. 14, 12 days earlier than the occasion, to make a remaining determination on the launch.
Subscription tiers
Amazon’s Alexa 2.0 is anticipated to work behind a subscription service that may vary from $5 to $10 month-to-month. Whereas this has been rumored for a couple of 12 months, phrase is that Amazon is planning to introduce the upgraded Alexa at no cost to a restricted variety of customers.
The ‘Basic Alexa’ will nonetheless be accessible for customers preferring to not pay the month-to-month payment, although it is not sure how lengthy Amazon plans to keep up the present model.
New Echo units
Whereas Amazon skipped its large-scale Gadgets and Providers occasion final 12 months, it nonetheless launched a number of new units from October by means of December of 2024, together with the biggest Echo Present ever — the 21-inch mannequin. Amazon additionally launched a brand new Echo Present 15, its first-ever shade Kindle, the Kindle Colorsoft, a brand new Kindle Scribe, a Fireplace TV Stick HD, and a new Fireplace HD 8 pill.
Whereas that is already a full lineup of units, Amazon may nonetheless launch some new {hardware} throughout its February 2025 occasion. Amazon may debut new Echo audio system, like an improved Amazon Echo overdue for an improve, or a brand new good show designed to benefit from the brand new generative AI-powered Alexa.
The summer time of 2024 additionally noticed the launch of the Echo Spot, a brand new good speaker with a small display that revives the clock radio.
Fireplace TV upgrades
Whereas a lot of the focus for the Amazon Gadgets and Providers occasions is on Alexa, we may see some Fireplace TV upgrades coming to Amazon’s lineup of good TV units.
Amazon introduced the Fireplace TV Omni Mini-LED collection of good TVs final November, in addition to a brand new Soundbar Plus Sequence and upgraded 4-Sequence. Whereas I am not anticipating a brand new lineup of Fireplace TV panels, I may see Amazon releasing new generative AI capabilities for current Fireplace TVs or revamping its older Fireplace TV Sticks.
