Amazon's smart assistant, Alexa, has always been free with the Amazon app or with any Echo device. Since her debut in 2014, she's been our alarm clock, our guide to shopping smart and finding deals on Amazon, and even a source of free samples.
But Alexa is getting an AI upgrade, according to rumors and even hints from Jeff Bezos himself. This upgraded version will be behind a paid subscription and will likely launch this fall (we'll keep you updated).
No, you won't have to pay for Alexa, if you're cool with the O.G. version. But if you want the new, improved, smarter, AI-powered version, you will.
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The new Alexa subscription will probably cost $10 a month.
Amazon hasn't announced anything officially yet, but the consensus is that the new Alexa subscription will run you up to $10 a month.
If you're balking at adding another subscription to your budget, Amazon will likely keep a the free version of Alexa around (at least we hope so).
This would mark the first time Amazon has charged for Alexa. But we're not surprised it's happening. Amazon has long charged for extras, from music streaming to grocery delivery. Walmart and Target both offer various paid perks behind their subscription options. And with consumers realizing what's possible with AI, Amazon is banking on at least some being interested in unlocking features beyond setting alarms, asking about the weather, and asking Alexa to add things to your cart.
The paid version of Alexa will be AI-powered and smarter.
Exact features haven't been revealed yet, but it's likely the new version will be able to have more complicated interactions, remember what you've asked in the past, and have the back-and-forth "conversations" it's possible to have with AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and others. In other words, the new Alexa may be smart enough to suggest products based on your shopping habits and converse with you on what to buy.
We predict the new paid Alexa subscription will be available in time for October Prime Day.
Amazon hasn't officially announced its timing yet for the paid Alexa subscription. However, its Prime Big Deal Days event is confirmed for October, and we know Amazon likes to create hype around its big sales. So we expect a debut of the new Alexa in time for Amazon's huge early holiday shopping event.
Of course, we at KCL hope that Amazon might offer shoppers a chance to take the new Alexa AI for a spin for less, or even free, During Prime Big Deal Days. Amazon has a strong tradition of offering free trials or discounts on its music streaming, Prime Video, and other subscriptions during its big sales. So we'll be eagerly monitoring deals on this new service and sharing them with you.
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