MondayFounder

Over the years, Alexa has become synonymous with virtual assistants that can engage with users and perform tasks on their behalf.

Now, Amazon is striving to keep up with a new surge of conversational AI tools that have sparked an artificial intelligence race in the tech industry, fundamentally reshaping consumer expectations of their tech products.

Dave Limp, senior VP of devices and services at Amazon, revealed in a recent CNN interview that their objective is to utilize AI in order to create an exceptional personal assistant. Limp acknowledged that they have been utilizing various forms of AI for a significant period of time, but the emergence of generative AI has the potential to accelerate their vision even further.

Generative AI is a type of AI that can generate new content, such as text and images, in response to user prompts. While Limp didn’t delve into specific details about how generative AI could be integrated into Alexa products, the possibilities are evident.

In theory, this technology could enable Alexa to engage in more natural conversations with users, answer complex questions, and even showcase creativity by instantly fabricating stories or composing song lyrics. It could also facilitate more personalized interactions, allowing the assistant to learn about the user’s interests, preferences, and provide tailored responses.

“We’re not finished, and we won’t be until Alexa matches or surpasses the capabilities of the ‘Star Trek’ computer,” emphasized Limp. “To achieve that, it needs to be conversational. It needs to possess vast knowledge, serving as the ultimate source of information on any topic.”

Nearly a decade ago, Alexa made its debut and, alongside Siri, Cortana, and other voice assistants, promised to revolutionize human interaction with technology. However, the viral success of ChatGPT has arguably achieved that transformation at a quicker pace and across a broader range of everyday products.

This ongoing effort to enhance the underlying technology powering Alexa comes at a challenging moment for Amazon. Similar to other tech giants, Amazon is currently reducing its workforce and discontinuing certain products in an urgent cost-cutting endeavor due to economic uncertainty. Unfortunately, the Alexa division has not been spared.

In January, Amazon announced plans to lay off over 18,000 employees due to the deteriorating global economic outlook. In March, they revealed that around 9,000 more jobs would be affected. Limp stated that his division alone lost around 2,000 employees, half of whom were part of the Alexa team.

Moreover, Amazon had to shut down some of the products it introduced during the early stages of the pandemic, including its wearable fitness brand, Halo, which allowed users to seek health and wellness advice from Alexa. Limp mentioned that the company also put some “more risky” projects on hold. However, he expressed confidence that these projects might be revisited in the future, emphasizing the organization’s continued willingness to take risks.

Nevertheless, Limp stressed that Alexa remains a guiding light for his division, with thousands of dedicated individuals still working on its development. “To give you an idea, there are still thousands and thousands of people working on Alexa,” he emphasized.

Indeed, Amazon continues to invest in Alexa and its associated Echo smart speaker lineup. Recently, the company unveiled several new products, including the $39.99 Echo Pop and the $89.99 Echo Show 5, a smart speaker equipped with a screen. Although these products offer incremental updates, Limp revealed that they provide a glimpse into Amazon’s future AI endeavors beyond generative AI.

For instance, when Alexa is enabled on an Echo Show that can rotate and track users around the room, Limp stated, “you’ll see indications of where it’s headed in the coming months and years.”