- Alexa+ is still rolling out to test users, reaching 1 million users after hitting 100,000 back in May
- Those with access have been taking to Reddit to share their experiences with Amazon’s new AI-enhanced voice assistant
- So far it’s garnered mixed reactions, but most users seem to be satisfied
Amazon has been taking its time with the roll out of Alexa+, the company’s new voice assistant with a big AI revamp, but after hitting the 100,000 user milestone in May, Alexa+ has now reached 1 million test users – a huge jump in just a few weeks.
When the company announced Alexa’s first major upgrade in February, it said that Alexa+ would be US-only for now before being rolled out widely, though this date is still unknown.
It’s been difficult to find a person or close friend who has early access, but now more users are sharing that Alexa+ has been activated on selected Echo devices. Additionally, users are sharing their first impressions of the new AI features – which has garnered a range of mixed reactions.
Alexa+ activated from r/alexa
Alexa’s new voice causes a divide
After deep diving through different Reddit threads, the main feature that has divided early access users is the new Alexa+ voice, whose major redesign aims to offer a less robotic inflection (similar to ChatGPT) with improved recognition capabilities.
Some users have been impressed by its ability to carry out a straight conversation without having to pre-prompt it, with one user stating that it provides a natural back-and-forth flow.
However, the user also highlighted its similarities with other voice assistants, adding: “It’s early days, but it feels a tiny bit closer to what I have with ChatGPT.” By the sounds of it, Alexa+ will have to offer something a little different if it wants users to stick around.
Another user went even further, describing the new Alexa+ voice as “obnoxious”, but they also highlighted the fact that the new assistant has the ability to change its tone: “I asked if she could soften her voice, and she offered to make it more ‘feminine’ (her words not mine).”
Testers have been generally pleased with how Alexa+ stands above other LLMs with its detailed explanations and clear understanding of voice prompts. One Reddit user was impressed that “[it] understands everything regardless of how you stumble on words.”
Another user shared a similar positive experience, but went on to explain that Alexa+ would fall into the trap of contradicting itself, admitting to it and apologizing when the called out.
Despite a few hiccups with the new Alexa+, the response from testers has been generally positive which makes us intrigued to see what it will be like once it’s widely available. So far it’s not enough for users to fully subscribe to, but time will tell.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
