Amazon’s plan to release a smarter, AI-powered Alexa is facing delays.
The new version of Alexa, which was set to launch after its February 26 event, will not be available until at least March 31, according to The Washington Post.
The delay is reportedly because Alexa’s upgraded AI is giving incorrect answers during tests.
An anonymous Amazon employee revealed that the company needs more time to fix these issues.
The new Alexa was expected to introduce features like personalized interactions, memory recall, and the ability to place orders or call a taxi.
It was originally planned as a free trial, but it might eventually require a subscription, as hinted by internal documents.
Amazon has been working on making Alexa more advanced with generative AI since 2023, but the project has faced multiple setbacks.
The launch was previously delayed from late 2024 after beta testers reported slow and stiff responses. Amazon has not yet commented on the latest delay.
Meanwhile, Apple is also struggling with its own AI assistant upgrade. Siri’s planned improvements, expected in iOS 18.4, might be pushed to iOS 18.5, possibly arriving in May.
On the other hand, Google’s AI-powered assistant, backed by Gemini technology, continues to stay ahead in the competition to enhance digital assistants with AI.
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