97% Amazon devices compatible with Alexa+ as company pushes AI assistant adoption

Amazon has outlined how it plans to position its artificial intelligence platform in the consumer market, saying that nearly all of the devices it has shipped to date are capable of supporting its revamped AI assistant, Alexa+.

Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, Amazon Alexa and Echo vice-president Daniel Rausch said 97% of devices ever shipped by the company can support Alexa+, according to a report by TechCrunch. He informed that Amazon has sold more than 600 million devices globally and that the vast majority of them will be compatible with the upgraded assistant.

Alexa+, which was announced early last year, represents Amazon’s push into the generative AI space. The platform offers more expressive voices, broader access to world knowledge comparable to other AI assistants, and agent-based capabilities that allow it to perform tasks on behalf of users, such as ordering food or booking transport.

Amazon has been gradually expanding access to Alexa+. More than one million Alexa users had gained access to the platform by June last year, and the company has since informed that tens of millions of customers can now opt in to upgrade to the AI assistant. However, Amazon has not provided a firm timeline for when Alexa+ will be made available to all users, stating that the immediate focus is on rolling it out to Prime members.

Beyond availability, Amazon faces the challenge of driving regular usage of its AI assistant. Rausch said the company’s advantage lies in Alexa’s existing presence in homes and the familiarity users already have with the brand. He stated that while the market will include a wide range of AI tools, including specialist assistants focused on specific tasks such as legal work, there will be a small number of highly capable, foundational AI assistants, a category in which Amazon expects Alexa to feature prominently.

Rausch informed that Alexa benefits from tens of millions of users who already engage with the assistant on a regular basis, as well as from its ambient, voice-based presence in the home, which he described as a natural interface that positions the platform for future growth.

Amazon’s push comes as competition in the AI assistant space intensifies. Apple recently announced a partnership with Google’s Gemini for Siri, while other AI systems such as ChatGPT and Claude continue to expand across use cases including research, healthcare and software development.

Ahead of CES, Amazon also announced web-based access to Alexa and unveiled a redesigned Alexa app that places a chatbot-style interface at its centre. At the event, partners including Samsung, BMW and Oura demonstrated new Alexa integrations.

The company further highlighted its recent acquisition of Bee, an AI wearable designed to record conversations and provide insights, which users can interact with via text or voice. Rausch stated that Alexa and Bee are expected to become more closely integrated over time, while also noting that Bee will continue to operate as a standalone brand.