Amazon introduces Alexa+, a generative AI-powered assistant with a monthly fee of $19.99, free for Prime members.

The effort carries significant weight at Amazon, which has plowed billions of dollars into Alexa since its launch in 2014.

It's called Alexa+, and the idea behind it is that generative AI can take the voice assistant to the next level.

Voice assistant Alexa is expected to get a major artificial intelligence upgrade from Amazon tomorrow, and it could change how we interact with this popular piece of smart home tech. Amazon is hosting an event in New York City on Feb.

Amazon has been working for years to overhaul Alexa with generative AI features as it faced rising competition from OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other chatbots.

Alexa+, Amazon's revamped version of Alexa was unveiled Wednesday, bringing the popular voice assistant into the artificial intelligence era.

Some of the new abilities coming to Alexa Plus include the ability to do things for you — you’ll be able to ask it to order groceries for you or send event invites to your friends. Amazon says it will also be able to memorize personal details like your diet and movie preferences.

But unlike before, when Alexa was offered for free on any Alexa-enabled devices, customers will have to pay Amazon a monthly fee of $19.99 for the revamped voice assistant, which it calls “Alexa+”. However, the generative-AI powered Alexa will be free for Prime members, who pay the company a monthly or annual fee for free delivery and other perks.

Amazon seems to finally be getting on the AI train, so to speak, as it launched the new Alexa Plus this week. According to the company, this newly supercharged AI powered assistant is more intuitive, understanding the user's needs more effortlessly than the previous model.

Amazon is finally launching the long-awaited generative AI version of Alexa — Alexa Plus — that, if all goes well, will take away much of the friction that comes with talking to a speaker to control your smart home or getting info on the fly.