Amazon's Alexa+ AI chatbot is now available to everyone in the US, with a catch

Amazon has officially opened the floodgates for its AI-enhanced Alexa+ assistant, making it available to all US customers after months of limited Early Access testing. The move represents a significant expansion of Amazon's AI strategy, but comes with a pricing structure that may influence how many users actually adopt the new service.

Prime members get unlimited access, others pay or face limits

The most notable aspect of this rollout is Amazon's decision to bundle unlimited Alexa+ access with Prime memberships at no additional cost. For the estimated 200 million+ Prime subscribers in the US, this represents a compelling value-add to an already popular service. However, non-Prime customers face a choice: pay $19.99 per month for full access or use the free Alexa+ Chat, a text-based interface that Amazon describes as "limited based on use" without specifying exact caps.

This tiered approach appears designed to drive Prime subscriptions while still offering some AI functionality to non-members. The $19.99 standalone price positions Alexa+ competitively with other AI services like ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) and Google's Gemini Advanced ($19.99/month), though the value proposition differs significantly for Prime versus non-Prime users.

Powered by Amazon Nova and Anthropic models

Alexa+ leverages large language models from both Amazon's own Nova family and Anthropic's Claude models, combining Amazon's infrastructure with Anthropic's conversational capabilities. This hybrid approach allows Amazon to balance performance with cost efficiency while maintaining control over the user experience.

The service is accessible across multiple platforms: Alexa-enabled smart speakers and displays, the Alexa mobile app, and through the web at Alexa.com. Users can activate Alexa+ by simply saying "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+" or by logging into their Amazon account online.

Early Access users showed new interaction patterns

According to Amazon, the Early Access phase revealed that users were engaging with Alexa+ in "completely new and different ways" compared to the original Alexa. The company reports seeing "more complex interactions" and "deep conversations" where users explore sophisticated topics and discuss current events.

A standout feature is Alexa+'s ability to maintain context across multiple days of conversation. Unlike the original Alexa, which typically handled discrete requests, Alexa+ can remember previous discussions and build upon them over time, creating more natural and productive interactions.

Strategic implications for Amazon's ecosystem

This rollout represents Amazon's most significant push into consumer AI since the original Alexa launch in 2014. By making it free for Prime members, Amazon is using its AI assistant as another Prime benefit to reinforce the value of its $139/year subscription service.

The pricing strategy also creates a clear incentive for non-Prime users to either subscribe to Prime or pay for the standalone service, potentially driving additional revenue streams. However, the limited free tier through Alexa+ Chat may frustrate users who want full functionality without paying.

Competition and market positioning

Alexa+ enters a crowded AI assistant market where Google Assistant, Apple's Siri, and various standalone AI services already compete for user attention. Amazon's advantage lies in its vast ecosystem of Alexa-enabled devices and Prime membership base, but the success of Alexa+ will depend on whether users find enough value in the enhanced capabilities to justify the potential costs.

The timing is notable as Amazon recently announced a massive $38 billion deal with OpenAI to run ChatGPT on AWS infrastructure, suggesting the company is positioning itself as both a provider and consumer of AI services.

Getting started with Alexa+

For existing Alexa users, the upgrade process is straightforward. Simply activate your device and say "Alexa, upgrade to Alexa+" or visit Alexa.com to log in and enable the service. New users can download the Alexa app or access the web interface to get started.

The expansion of Alexa+ marks a pivotal moment in Amazon's AI strategy, potentially reshaping how millions of users interact with their devices and access information. Whether the pricing model proves attractive enough to drive widespread adoption remains to be seen, but Amazon has clearly positioned itself to capture value from both its loyal Prime base and the broader AI assistant market.