Amazon Launches Upgraded Alexa to All US Users

Amazon has launched an upgraded version of its voice assistant, known as Alexa, making it available to all users in the United States following a year-long early access period. The enhanced AI-powered service, which builds on the original Alexa with advanced conversational capabilities, is now accessible through Echo devices, the Alexa mobile app, and the website Alexa.com.

The rollout ends the beta phase that began in February 2025, when Amazon first announced the revamped assistant. Powered by large language models from Amazon and Anthropic, the new Alexa shifts from handling simple commands to processing natural language requests and multistep tasks. Users no longer need an Echo speaker to interact with it, as it functions like a full AI companion on web browsers and mobile apps. During testing, participants engaged with the service about twice as often as they did with the standard Alexa, according to Amazon.

Pricing ties closely to Amazon's Prime membership program. Subscribers receive unlimited access to Alexa at no additional cost, positioning it as a key benefit of the $14.99 monthly or $139 annual plan. Non-Prime users can try a limited free text-based chat version on...