There’s a major revamp of the Alexa platform on the horizon, and it looks like it’s going to cost you. He said eight unidentified current and former employees worked at Alexa Reuters The project is known internally as “Banyan” after a type of fig tree with reproductive roots that grow upward and outward. It seems like an apt metaphor for what could be Alexa’s first major overhaul since its debut in 2014.
Amazon calls it “Remarkable Alexa” internally, though sources interviewed describe it as a “desperate attempt” to return Alexa to its former glory. To make matters worse, Amazon is considering charging $5 to $10 per month for the privilege.
The new “Remarkable Alexa” will replace Classic Alexa (which is free) in its current form. “Remarkable Alexa” will contain all the AI improvements, such as the ability to answer “more complex queries and prompts.” It will draw on contextual information about your smart home use, so it will know when to start the coffee pot for you in the morning without worrying about setting it up the night before. Sources claim that Amazon is pushing those working on the project towards the August deadline so that it has something to show sooner.
taught us Last month That Amazon was working on something for Alexa behind the scenes, it is He was Work on pumping up artificial intelligence since it captured its capabilities in September. We also learned that it was Think about charging customers a fee For ability. Amazon doesn’t generate significant revenue from Alexa, so at least this way, it can charge for the service while recouping some of the cost it takes to run such an entity.
Google charges for Gemini in tiers based on the complexity of your needs, so it’s not exactly uncommon to pay for AI improvements. However, Google’s deal is a little better as you can bundle it with a Googe Workspace subscription. Google’s AI is also part of its full suite of offerings on Android, Google Docs, and the search engine. By contrast, Amazon’s paid Alexa relies on any gadgets and services you’ve connected yourself. There’s not much to Amazon’s ecosystem outside of its shopping and media offerings.
Reuters reached out to Amazon for a statement on this matter. Their response is appropriately devoid of any acknowledgment about the report. The company has admitted that it is cooking up something new for Alexa. But are you willing to pay $5 to $10 per month?