Alexa Plus is Amazon’s revamped version of its virtual assistant, now powered by generative AI. Though Amazon is rolling out Alexa Plus to many existing Echo devices, it’s not available for free. Using Alexa Plus will cost $20 monthly, which is the same cost as ChatGPT Plus. Thankfully, there are ways you can use it for free — at least for a limited time.
Also: 7 useful AI features coming with Alexa Plus (and which Echo devices will support it)
Giving Alexa generative AI enables the virtual assistant to do much more than it has been able to do until now. Instead of spouting off canned, pre-determined responses to questions, the new Alexa Plus will be able to generate answers of its own, powered by powerful Amazon Bedrock large language models (LLM). Alexa Plus will also maintain context, speak more naturally, and process more information simultaneously, much like ChatGPT can do.
How to get Alexa Plus for free
The Echo Show 21 will be initially compatible with Alexa Plus.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
What you’ll need: An Echo Show 8, 10, 15 or 21.
Alexa Plus costs $20 monthly, but it’s free for Prime users. Not a Prime member? Since Alexa Plus isn’t available yet, I’d recommend waiting until it is before signing up for Prime. Amazon lets you try Prime for 30 days before you have to pay for it.
Also: Not all Echo devices will get Alexa Plus – see if yours made the list
After signing up for a free Prime trial, ensure your compatible Echo Show is linked to your Amazon account with Prime. You can check your account information in the Echo Show’s settings.
Trying Alexa Plus should be easy enough: Simply ask the virtual assistant a question that the classic version of Alexa wouldn’t be able to handle. Here are some examples of what you can ask Alexa Plus:
- Tell me when the next event on the school calendar is (after sharing a calendar with it).
- Give me a summary of the latest news.
- What are some creative ways to use celery in recipes for kids?
- Find games where X team plays Y team.
- Turn on the kitchen lights and dim the living room lights.
Determining whether Alexa Plus is worth it depends primarily on your individual needs. At $20 a month, the service isn’t cheap, but it is included in a Prime membership, ensuring it is available to millions of existing Prime users. Here are some factors to consider when mulling whether or not Alexa Plus is worth it:
- If you have more Echo Shows than Echo speakers, it could be worth it: Initially, Alexa Plus will roll out only to the larger Echo Show devices, the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21. That doesn’t mean the enhanced assistant will never come to an Echo speaker, but Amazon said it is prioritizing these devices to receive Alexa Plus first. If you have mostly Echo speakers or none of the larger Echo Shows, then Alexa Plus may not be worth it now.
- If you don’t have a Prime membership, it may not be worth it: While Alexa Plus offers many great features, $20 a month for a subscription to a virtual assistant adds up quickly, especially if you plan to use it primarily to process data and answer questions. In this case, a ChatGPT Plus subscription may be better for you.
Alexa Plus is Amazon’s redesigned version of Alexa, its virtual assistant, now with the power of generative AI. Alexa Plus can do things that the classic Alexa cannot, like make reservations, generate content, have more natural conversations, and remember preferences. Alexa Plus is like having ChatGPT in your Echo device; it will be able to provide more complete answers to questions and better understand you.
Alexa Plus is slated to be rolled out gradually over the next few weeks. Amazon is prioritizing the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 in the initial rollout.
