Insider , based on documents leaked by Amazon, reports that the company is planning to add AI chatbots to Alexa. In a world that is obsessed with generative AI, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard, the voice assistant must be reanimated.
The document gives an example of Alexa creating a bedtime tale after an 8-year-old asked it to tell them a story about a cat and a Moon. In true ChatGPT style, it creates a whole new story about Mittens, who is the first cat ever to go to the Moon. It also describes using an Echo Show camera to see the child holding an Olaf doll, so that it can incorporate the character into the narrative.
Amazon has a number of partnership options, including Lego and Disney.
Amazon will use its own large language model, which it developed internally. This LLM will be used to power the new and improved Alexa. Microsoft’s Bing uses OpenAI, whereas Amazon’s LLM is called the Alexa Teacher Model. Amazon’s LLM Alexa Teacher Model is called by the company, but a spokesperson told Insider it’s working on larger models that are “more generalized” and “more capable”, which will make Alexa more “proactive and conversational”.
According to the leaked documents from Amazon, Alexa will be a conversational AI that can deliver news, make recommendations and tell stories.
Alexa will also tell you the cast of a show if the user asks. On FireTV, Alexa will tell you that HBO offers a free trial. The user then asks Alexa what the price is for HBO after the trial. Alexa gives the rate, and asks whether the user would like to subscribe.
Alexa’s reinvigoration plans come following the company’s massive layoffs that began months ago . Nearly 2000 people were affected from the division, which worked on projects such as Alexa’s voice assistant and Amazon hardware.
