If you feel like your Echo has been getting a little “dusty” lately, Amazon just gave you a reason to start talking to it again. On February 4, Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s VP of Alexa and Echo, announced that Alexa+ is officially exiting its preview phase and is now available to everyone in the U.S.
This isn’t just a minor update; it is an entirely new architecture powered by generative AI (using models from both Amazon Nova and Anthropic). It transforms Alexa from a basic voice-controlled timer into a true digital assistant that can actually handle your “life admin.”
The Breakdown
The biggest news is how much it costs—or rather, how much it doesn’t.
-
For Prime Members: Alexa+ is now a core benefit. It is free and unlimited, included with your existing membership.
-
For Non-Prime Members: You can subscribe to Alexa+ for $19.99 per month.
-
The Free Option: If you don’t have Prime, there is a new free tier that lets you use the chat experience at Alexa.com and in the Alexa app, though your usage will be limited.
What Can It Actually Do?
Amazon says early testers are already interacting with Alexa+ twice as much as the old version because it can finally handle complex, multi-step tasks. Here are a few ways the new “agentic” capabilities work:
-
The “Digital Secretary”: You can email a school schedule or a PDF to Alexa+, and she will automatically add every event, game, and meeting to your family calendar.
-
Smart Home Security: It now pairs with Ring cameras to alert you to “unusual patterns”—it doesn’t just see motion; it understands if something looks out of the ordinary.
-
The Personal Chef: You can drop a recipe link into the new Alexa.com web interface, ask her to customize it for your family’s dietary needs, and she will add the missing ingredients to your shopping cart and walk you through the cooking steps on your Echo Show.
-
Complex Coordination: Alexa+ can now settle dinner debates, book restaurant reservations, and even schedule home repairs or book a ride on your behalf.
How to Get It
If you are a Prime member, getting started is simple. Just say, “Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+” to your Echo device, or log in to your account at Alexa.com. The upgrade takes a few minutes, and if you decide you prefer the “classic” version, Amazon is still allowing users to opt-out or revert back.
The Bottom Line
Amazon is clearly trying to keep up with the smarts of ChatGPT and Google Gemini, but they have a massive head start: Alexa is already in your kitchen and on your nightstand. By making the premium AI free for Prime members, they are betting that the convenience of an assistant that “does” rather than just “talks” will keep you in the ecosystem.
Stay savvy, give the new Siri-rival a spin, and I’ll see you next week!
Feeling lost in the digital world? Dr. Tom is here to help!
Join Dr. Tom every week in his column, Dr. Tom’s Cyber Bits and Tips, for byte-sized advice on all things cyber and tech. Whether you’re concerned about online safety, curious about the latest cybercrime trends, or simply want to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, Dr. Tom has you covered.
From practical cybersecurity tips to insightful breakdowns of current threats, Dr. Tom’s column empowers you to stay informed and protect yourself online. So, dive in and get savvy with the web – with Dr. Tom as your guide!
