After a somewhat elusive early access period, Amazon's generative AI-powered Alexa Plus has now onboarded over one million users, with the company planning a more general public release for the revamped voice assistant "over the summer." The update promises a more conversational AI experience for Echo device owners.
Numbers game: Amazon spokesperson Eric Sveum confirmed the one million user figure to The Verge, a notable increase from the "hundreds of thousands" reported just last month. This supercharged Alexa, first teased in September 2023 and formally relaunched in February 2025, will eventually be free for Prime members or $19.99 monthly.
Where were you?: The user count jump follows earlier skepticism. In mid-May, Reuters highlighted the challenge of finding actual users despite Amazon's claims, though the company countered at the time that invites were steadily rolling out. The careful pace may reflect new device chief Panos Panay's push to "get Alexa+ right," as noted by The Wall Street Journal.
Some features pending: Even with expanded access, Alexa Plus isn't fully loaded. Sveum told The Verge that features like hands-free grocery ordering and web browser access are still "coming soon." However, he stated that "nearly 90 percent" of announced capabilities, including core conversational improvements and memory functions, are now live.
The bottom line: Amazon appears to be finally scaling up Alexa Plus access, aiming to make its AI assistant a more formidable player, even as some initial smart home control reports indicate a few bumps in the road.
Reading Recap:
- Amazon details its vision for generative AI in Alexa
- The Verge reports on Alexa Plus surpassing one million users
- Reuters investigates the initial mystery of Alexa Plus users
Meanwhile, in voice AI land: While Amazon pushes Alexa Plus forward, Apple's Siri AI update was notably absent from its recent WWDC developer conference. Elsewhere, a former Alexa team member writing for CMSWire argues that fundamental conversational AI challenges persist across the industry.