Amazon to infuse generative AI tech into Alexa-powered devices

Alexa smart assistant will be able to understand nuances of human emotions and tone while asking a query and respond with near-natural voice and even perform complex tasks with less latency.

While Google is playing catch up with Microsoft-OpenAI's ChatGPT-powered productive tools, many were curious about what Amazon doing on generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI). It was all answered at the annual Amazon Devices and Services event in Virginia, US.

Amazon announced bringing more capabilities to Alexa smart assistant to make it more user-friendly for customers around the world.

"A longstanding mission has been to make a conversation with Alexa as natural as talking to another human, and with the rapid development of generative AI, what we imagined is now well within reach," the company said.

To improve Alexa's understanding of the nuances of human emotions, Amazon is bringing more advanced large language models. With this, Alexa will be able to intuitively look for tone and accents to deliver the right response in a more natural voice than before. Also, the company plans to reduce latency so conversations flow naturally, without pause, and responses are the right length for voice when asking a query.

Amazon gave a sneak peek at how Alexa will sound a little closer to human-like than before. Also, be able to understand more complex voice commands with multiple tasks.

For instance, if a user asks 'Alexa, every weeknight at 9 p.m., make an announcement that it’s bedtime for the kids, dim the lights upstairs, turn on the porch light, and switch on the fan in the bedroom.'

In another instance, if a user has run out of ideas or is feeling blank in the head on what to say to congratulate a friend or family member's child graduating from school, he/she can just Alexa to write a good thoughtful note. It can be generated in a few moments. Then, they can forward the message to the dear ones.

Amazon added that the company has sold more than 400 million Echo series devices around the world, and has promised to bring more capabilities to Alexa-powered devices soon. It also noted that the company will ensure user privacy is protected at all times.

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