In a bid to compete with the worldwide popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, e-commerce juggernaut Amazon is reportedly improving Alexa’s capabilities by enabling it to remember details about users, like a close friend or family member does.
This vision for Alexa, Amazon’s homegrown virtual assistant, was constructed by Amazon executives during the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026) in Las Vegas earlier this month.
The company is refueling the excitement surrounding Alexa, which debuted in 2014 as a user-friendly voice assistant.
How Amazon’ss Alexa lost to ChatGPT in 2022
While the virtual assistan gained immense popularity and reinforced interest in voice technology, the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 changed that, compelling Amazon to rethink its strategy.
In 2023, Amazon announced plans to make Alexa a more personal and conversational assistant, following which it launched Alexa+ last year. But there’s a lack of a real testimony so far, and to do that, Amazon needs to show that Alexa+ dan deliver an improved experience compared to the standard version.
Panos Panay, Amazon’s devices and services chief, noted that while many users appreciate basic functions like turning on coffee makers, transformative experiences result from comprehensive contextual understanding.
The newly launched Alexa website imitates the interactive platforms developed by OpenAI and AI startup Perplexity, allowing users to chat with Alexa online and continue those conversations across devices.
How Alexa+ competes with ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini
Panay highlighted Alexa’s standout ability to remember user preferences and execute tasks in no time. For instance, when he asked about dog harnesses, Alexa had options ready on his Echo Show upon his return.
This personal touch sets Alexa apart from competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
