Amazon announced on Wednesday that its AI assistant, Alexa+, will be rolled out to all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S. for free, regardless of whether customers have a Prime subscription. The update includes conversational search, smart home controls, and AI-powered recommendations, according to the company. Previously, Alexa+ cost $19.99 per month for non-Prime members and was initially available only on newer Fire TV devices launched last fall. Now, Amazon says all users will be automatically upgraded to Alexa+ without needing to download an app or sign up for a subscription.
Compatible devices include current-generation Amazon Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, Amazon Ember smart TVs, and other smart TVs with Alexa+ built in, such as Hisense and Panasonic. The move aligns with an industry trend to integrate AI services into more consumer electronics through non-optional upgrades. Google, for instance, introduced Gemini on its Google TV platform earlier this year, replacing basic search with AI-powered conversational features. Roku also upgraded its voice assistant to AI last year. Companies cite metrics like time spent using these features to indicate positive consumer adoption trends. Amazon noted that Alexa+ users now have nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV compared to the original Alexa, suggesting customers are engaging more with the AI rather than using their TVs solely for entertainment.
Amazon stated that with Alexa+, users no longer need to ask for shows by title but can instead request suggestions based on factors like theme, age, or popularity. For example, users can ask for "a top-rated thriller" or "a historical drama with a strong female lead." The AI assistant can also help manage smart home devices, including displaying Ring camera feeds on the TV. Whether this shift is beneficial remains open to debate.
Source: techcrunch
