First impressions of Alexa+, Amazon’s upgraded, AI-powered digital assistant

After a devastating house fire in March 2024, I found myself with a unique opportunity to redesign my smart home. Having previously relied on a variety of Alexa-enabled devices, including Echos and Fire TVs, I was eager to see if Amazon's upgraded AI assistant, Alexa+, could still be the centerpiece of my connected living space. With the rollout of Alexa+ in early 2025, boasting generative AI capabilities, I decided to evaluate its performance through a series of real-world tests. This assistant, which once amazed users with its ability to control home devices and answer questions, now faces stiff competition in an era dominated by advanced AI chatbots like ChatGPT. The introduction of Alexa+ promises not only to enhance basic functionalities like setting timers or playing music but also to leverage users’ personal information to provide tailored assistance. Through its integration with various services, Alexa+ aims to book reservations, manage schedules, and even create shopping lists directly through voice commands. Setting up Alexa+ was refreshingly straightforward. Using a new Echo Spot, I scanned a QR code that connected the device to my home network seamlessly. As I upgraded to Alexa+, the onboarding process included an informative video, and I soon linked my Google account to grant access to my calendar and emails. While the interface of the Alexa app could still use some improvements, I appreciated the control it offered over data sharing with third-party services. Despite the tedious approval process for permissions, I felt empowered to decide what information I wanted to share. In my initial interactions with Alexa+, I tested its ability to manage my family calendar. Although it could answer inquiries about upcoming events, it occasionally interrupted me during requests to add new appointments. However, the ability to continue a conversation without re-initiating the wake word felt more natural than before. I also explored Alexa+'s memory function by asking it to remember my frequent flyer number. The process was humorous yet frustrating, as Alexa struggled to correctly save and recall the information. Furthermore, I tested its capability to summarize emails by forwarding a message from my child’s school. While it successfully identified key details, it failed to recognize all the important dates listed in the correspondence. Additionally, I put Alexa+ to the test with price tracking for items I was interested in purchasing. Although it set up notifications for when products went on sale, it struggled to provide current pricing information, leaving me in a state of uncertainty. Overall, while Alexa+ shows potential, it feels like a product still in the beta stage. It is capable but often makes errors and lacks thoroughness in its responses. As I continue to explore its features in the coming weeks, I hope for improvements in its performance and reliability, especially in executing tasks autonomously. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this journey as I delve deeper into the capabilities of Alexa+ and its promise of agentic AI.