Alexa's future is pay-to-play, departing Amazon exec predicts

It looks like Amazon has finally started to get serious about generative AI, and if the company's outgoing director of Alexa and Echo devices is right, that means Alexa is about to get way better - as long you're willing to pay for it.  News from earlier this year that Amazon had added a bunch of third-party AI tools to AWS …

[Snowy]

<quote>Anyone using Alexa Guard that chooses not to cancel their subscription by October 31 will be automatically enrolled in Alexa Emergency Assist, but will be able to lock in the $4.99/month price for a year. Then it's presumably time to pay,/quote>

I wonder how easy it is to cancel?

[doublelayer]

Oh, all you have to do is to ask your Alexa device to cancel your subscription, then confirm the request on the Alexa app with which you set up the device. Then log into your Amazon account in a browser or the Amazon app, go to your services and subscriptions area, find the subscription concerned, and fill out the cancellation form, then confirm with the link sent to your email. Simple, really. Of course, if you don't have the Alexa app because what's the point of keeping around an app for managing something that's independent of your phone, who knows.

For the avoidance of doubt, I made all this up. I don't have the hardware, so I can't get you real instructions. I just imagine it will be more complicated than it should be.

[MachDiamond]

"Of course, if you don't have the Alexa app because what's the point of keeping around an app for managing something that's independent of your phone, who knows."

It gets even more fun when you no longer have the email address you signed up with and you are locked out of your account with no way to make changes due to the cancellation process.

[elsergiovolador]

and if you need your grandparents consent...

[Anonymous Coward]

your instructions remind me of a site I once visited, 'how to set up your kobo e-book reader in 42 simple steps'

[aerogems]

Easier than finding a leprechaun riding a unicorn, that's how easy!

[Anonymous Coward]

Subscription clause H 9000

Unsubscribe?

Sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.

[MachDiamond]

The obvious next step

First they get you to self-install spyware in your home that you pay for yourself. Step two is to get you to pay for it on a monthly basis so the continuing monitoring isn't costing them anything outside of the data processing and archiving. I suppose step 1.5 is to deprecate the v1 hardware and force you to buy more after you have committed to the platform.

[Omnipresent]

Alexa and Bard sitting in a tree.

And V'Ger want's to join with the creator.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sorry Dave

"I can't answer that question until you deposit $1000.00 plus tax into your account."

"Oh, and Dave, this message will repeat itself for the next hour after which, your Alexa device will self destruct and you will still owe Amazon $1000 plus tax."

Pay to play taken to the next step.

Personally, I wish that Bezos would self-destruct but that ain't gonna happen.

[Anonymous Coward]

Wait until they start charging you per query.

Alexa, what...

Alexa: Answering that question will cost you $1. Do you wish to continue?

Alexa, play me...

Alexa: That request will cost you $1, plus a royalty fee of $5. Do you wish to continue?

This also feels like we're headed to a tiered system. Will Alexa's voice change to Cletus if you take the cheaper version?

Cletus, what...

Cletus: Gee, I don't know. For 5 bucks I can ask my cousin Alexa. That's gonna cost you a buck for the question though.

[aerogems]

Canceling the request will cost you 50% of completing it, and just using the wake word will incur a 25 cent fee.

[jemmyww]

I only use Alexa as an oven timer and even then it doesn't do as good a job. Yesterday: "Alexa set timer for 30 minutes" "beep boop beep" "Alexa what timer is ringing?" "Your 30 minute timer is up, you have 29 minutes left on your 30 minute timer" "Alexa stop. Alexa how long left?" "There are no timers running"

[Anonymous Coward]

as you feed these models more data, they get larger, they get better

I'm stunned at the depthness of the above revelation. At least 2/3 of it, ain't bad.

[Michael Wojcik]

Way better

Alexa is about to get way better

I doubt that. As far as I'm concerned, the only way Alexa could "get way better" is if it went away. Permanently.