¡®Alexa, Please Pay The Bill¡¯! Amazon's Alexa Likely To Move To Monthly Subscription Model With An AI Upgrade

If you are addicted to Alexa and can¡¯t imagine your life without her in it, then get ready to pay for her services. As per a CNBC report, Amazon is upgrading its Alexa voice assistant with AI as it will soon charge a monthly subscription fee.

Alexa¡¯s Subscription Won¡¯t Be Included In Amazon¡¯s Prime Fee

Later this year, the company plans to introduce an enhanced, more conversational version of Alexa, aiming to stay competitive with AI-driven chatbots from Google and OpenAI. Additionally, reports indicate that Amazon's Alexa subscription will not be bundled with the existing $139-per-year Prime subscription.

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This development follows OpenAI's announcement of GPT-4o, which boasts the ability for two-way conversations, surpassing Alexa's capabilities. Additionally, the upgraded version can translate conversations into various languages in real time.

Also Read: How The ¡®Two Pizza Rule¡¯ Helped Jeff Bezos Avoid Useless Meetings At Amazon

Amazon Is Gearing Up To Compete With Other AI Chatbots

Previously, Amazon's former SVP of devices and services, David Limp, mentioned to The Verge the company's contemplation of introducing a paid subscription model for an enhanced version of Alexa.

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Moreover, reports suggest that the emergence of new AI chatbots in recent months has heightened pressure on Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Former employees have observed a shift in focus for Bezos, particularly since Andy Jassy assumed the role of CEO in 2021. Jassy's emphasis has been on Amazon's business operations and expansion, especially amidst the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic.

Also Read: From Rs 8 Lakh To Billionaires: Jeff Bezos' Siblings Mark & Christina Struck Gold With Amazon

Amazon CEO Feels That Alexa Is An Expensive Alarm Clock With Weather Update Tool And Spotify Music Player At The Moment

According to a source cited in the report, Andy Jassy has privately expressed disappointment with the current capabilities of Alexa. The team behind Alexa is reportedly concerned that they have essentially created an expensive alarm clock, weather update tool, and Spotify music player.

Earlier reports indicated Jeff Bezos expressing concern that Amazon lags behind in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite stepping down as CEO, Bezos remains deeply involved in Amazon's AI endeavors, according to sources familiar with the matter.