Alexa+ can read, summarize and recall lengthy documents

At Amazon’s annual Devices & Services event on Wednesday, the company introduced Alexa+, an enhanced version of its voice assistant, now powered by generative AI. 

During the demonstration, Amazon showcased how users can share documents with Alexa+, allowing it to recall important details and answer questions about those documents.

Mara Segal, director of Alexa, provided several examples of how this feature works. In one instance, she asked Alexa+, “From grandma’s zucchini bread recipe, how much oil did it need?” Alexa+ was able to extract the answer from the recipe that had been previously uploaded.

In a more complex scenario, a user can upload a document from their Homeowners Association (HOA) and ask questions about the guidelines, which many people tend to overlook. 

Additionally, users can forward multiple emails from a child’s school to Alexa+, extracting and summarizing the essential information. It can also help manage their calendars to ensure they don’t miss important school events.

Amazon demonstrated several Alexa+ features at the event, including the ability to jump to different movie scenes on Prime Video and control smart home devices, allowing users to move music between speakers in different rooms.