Amazon claims its ‘constantly inviting’ new customers to Alexa Plus
Share this @internewscast.com

Recently, Reuters published an article with the title “Weeks after Amazon’s Alexa+ AI launch, a mystery: where are the users?,” outlining its challenges in finding firsthand user experiences of the updated AI assistants online. When The Verge questioned Amazon about this, the company replied, stating that the suggestion Alexa Plus isn’t available is “simply incorrect.”

Here’s the company’s full — and rather strongly-worded! — statement on the matter, provided by Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum via email to The Verge:

Claiming that Alexa+ isn’t accessible to customers is inaccurate—that claim is incorrect. Hundreds of thousands of users can access Alexa+, and we continually extend invitations to more customers who have requested Early Access.

Sveum also shared the below screenshot of what the email invite should look like.

Alexa Plus represents Amazon’s enhanced version of Alexa using generative AI, which was announced in February to be freely available to Amazon Prime members, or at a cost of $19.99 per month for other users.

While Reuters doesn’t say Alexa Plus isn’t available to customers yet, it does quote an analyst who said, “There seems to be no one who actually has it.”

The outlet also reported that its efforts to find any real-world Alexa Plus users came up empty, writing that it had “searched dozens of news sites, YouTube, TikTok, X, BlueSky and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as Amazon’s Twitch and reviews of Echo voice-assistant devices on Amazon.com.” It added that it spoke with two people who’d posted on Reddit claiming to have used Alexa Plus, but that they “did not provide Reuters with hard evidence and their identities could not be corroborated.”

Still, Engadget reported today that a wave of emails had gone out on Friday, inviting Amazon Alexa users to try out Alexa Plus. The outlet also reported that an Amazon spokesperson had told it “hundreds of thousands” of customers have tried the assistant.

Amazon started rolling out its early access program to a few customers at the end of March. At the time, it was missing features like the ability to order takeout from Grubhub using conversational context, or identify family members and remind them about chores. A page on Amazon’s website notes that some features are still “coming soon,” like being able to access Alexa Plus in a web browser or on a Fire TV or Amazon tablet. The company has said it’s prioritizing those who own certain Echo Show devices above others.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Epic Urges Court to Reinstate Fortnite on Apple’s US App Store

Epic is urging District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to compel Apple to…

How a DoorDash Driver Orchestrated a $2.5 Million Scam

A former DoorDash delivery driver admitted guilt this week to being part…

Get Ready to Deflect: It’s Parry Season | The Verge

If you’re a fan of games featuring parrying mechanics, two excellent new…