Amazon launches on-demand AI Alexa podcasts in the US

Amazon has launched a new feature that allows its Alexa voice assistant to generate entire podcast episodes on demand. The capability, called Alexa Podcasts, began rolling out to customers in the United States on Monday.

Users can ask Alexa to create a podcast on virtually any topic, from historical events to current news. The system then researches the subject, drafts a structured overview of what it will cover, and presents it to the user for approval. Before finalizing, users can adjust the episode's length, tone, and focus using conversational commands. The finished product is narrated by two AI-generated host voices in a conversational style and is delivered within minutes.

When an episode is ready, users receive a notification on an Echo Show device or within the Alexa app, where the audio is saved in the "Music and More" section for later listening. The feature is available to all Alexa subscribers, which includes Amazon Prime members at no additional cost. Non-Prime users can access the service for a monthly fee.

A key component of the system is its access to licensed news content. Amazon has established partnerships with more than 200 news organizations, including the...