Amazon to Launch Enhanced Alexa Powered by Anthropic’s AI Model

Amazon’s anticipated improved version of Alexa, named “Remarkable Alexa,” is set to be launched this year. It will utilize AI technology from the startup Anthropic, specifically its Claude AI model. This decision comes after internal evaluations indicated that Amazon’s in-house AI struggled with certain tasks, including understanding words and responding effectively to prompts.

Mihail Eric, Alexa’s former machine learning scientist, noted that the division has been “riddled with technical and bureaucratic problems” since its announcement last September, highlighting ongoing challenges in its AI development efforts.

Investment in Anthropic and Regulatory Scrutiny:

Amazon invested $4 billion in Anthropic last year for a minority stake, aiming to enhance its AI capabilities for the Alexa platform.

However, this substantial investment has led to an investigation by UK competition regulators, raising concerns regarding potential implications for market competition and fairness.

Amazon’s AI technology faces stiff competition from other significant players, including OpenAI’s Advanced Voice Mode for ChatGPT, Google Gemini’s voice chat mode, and Siri’s upcoming Apple Intelligence update. This competitive environment underscores Amazon’s need to leverage sophisticated AI models to maintain its position in the voice assistant arena.

Features and Release Timeline for Remarkable Alexa:

The new Alexa version, Remarkable Alexa, is expected to launch in mid-October 2024. It aims to introduce various new features, such as daily AI-generated news summaries, a child-focused chatbot, and tools for conversational shopping.

The new Alexa may be offered through a subscription model ranging from $5 to $10 per month to enhance profitability. At the same time, the classic version will continue to be available as a free service.

Presentation of New Features:

Details of Remarkable Alexa’s new features will be revealed during Amazon’s annual devices and services event, typically held in September.

This event will allow Amazon to showcase its latest technological advancements and gather user feedback, further refining the Alexa experience in the competitive AI landscape.