Amazon is gearing up to enhance the capabilities of its AI-powered voice assistant, Alexa, with a new feature known as "Alexa Plus." This upgraded version is expected to be equipped with personalized artificial intelligence (AI) technology, offering more conversational capabilities. However, the catch is that users will need to pay for this advanced service, setting it apart from the current free version of Alexa.

According to a Business Insider report, the launch date for Alexa Plus is slated for June 30, though potential delays have been suggested due to internal concerns raised by employees who believe the technology may not be fully ready for deployment.

The underlying technology driving this upgrade is termed "Remarkable Alexa," and Amazon has reportedly conducted testing with around 15,000 external customers. Feedback from employees who have experienced this service indicates that while the new Alexa excels in holding conversations, it currently falls short in delivering accurate and useful responses. Users have reported instances of lengthy and often inaccurate answers, as well as challenges in handling complex commands.

Unlike the legacy version that utilized Natural Language Processing (NLP) for response generation and language understanding, the new Alexa Plus relies on a single Large Language Model (LLM). This shift has raised questions about the decision, with insiders suggesting it may be influenced by legacy constraints. There is apparent tension within the company regarding the willingness of users to pay for the upgraded Alexa service, as the existing version has been widely used and provided free of charge.

The introduction of Alexa Plus reflects Amazon's ongoing efforts to push the boundaries of AI capabilities in voice assistants, offering a more personalized and interactive experience, albeit with potential challenges that need to be addressed before widespread adoption.