Amazon rolls out its AI-powered Alexa+ assistant to U.S. users, introducing a $19.99 subscription while keeping the service free for Prime members.
Amazon on Wednesday made Alexa+, its generative AI–powered digital assistant, available to all users in the United States—nearly a year after the upgraded service debuted in a limited preview.
The expanded rollout marks a major shift for Amazon’s voice platform. Until now, access to Alexa+ has been restricted to customers who joined a waitlist or purchased select newer devices.
Alongside the wider release, Amazon announced a new pricing structure. Beginning this week, Alexa+ will cost $19.99 per month for non–Prime members. The service will remain included at no additional charge for Amazon Prime subscribers, and a limited free version will be available through an Alexa+ website and mobile app.
Also Read: Super Bowl 2026: When the Commercials Became Bigger Than the Game
A Smarter, More Capable Alexa
Amazon has positioned Alexa+ as a significant evolution of its 11-year-old virtual assistant. Powered by large language models, the new version can handle multiple questions at once, maintain more natural conversations, and act as a digital “agent” capable of completing tasks on a user’s behalf—such as booking a repair service or ordering a ride.
Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s vice president for Alexa and Echo, said early results have been encouraging. Tens of millions of people are already using the service, he said, and engagement levels are climbing.
“User interactions have grown on basically every dimension,” Rausch said in an interview. “People are having two to three times more conversations with Alexa+ than they were before.”
That increased activity, he added, has remained steady over time—an important sign that customers are finding lasting value.
“Every week in a customer’s journey, engagement goes up,” Rausch said. “That’s really the sign of a hit product.”
A Shift Toward AI Competition
The overhaul reflects Amazon’s effort to keep pace with a rapidly changing AI landscape dominated by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude.
When Alexa launched in 2014, it helped popularize voice assistants through Amazon’s Echo smart speakers. But in recent years, consumer expectations have shifted toward more conversational, flexible AI tools accessed through apps and web browsers.
With Alexa+, Amazon is leaning into that trend, emphasizing smartphone and desktop interfaces in addition to voice-enabled devices.
The transition has not been entirely smooth. In recent weeks, some Prime members reported being automatically upgraded to Alexa+, prompting complaints from users who preferred the original version. Amazon allows customers to revert to the classic assistant using a simple voice command.
Still, Rausch said most users who try Alexa+ continue to explore it as they “learn and discover more of what it can do.”
Also Read: Part 4: The Future of Marketing Isn’t Smarter Tools — It’s Smaller Human Teams
Free—but With Limits
While Amazon is charging non–Prime members for full access, the company said a free tier will remain available, though it will be “limited based on use.” Details about those limits were not disclosed.
By tying the service to Prime memberships and introducing a subscription option, Amazon is betting that consumers will pay for a more capable assistant—one that can do more than set timers and play music.
Whether that bet pays off could determine the future of one of Amazon’s most ambitious consumer technologies.
