- Prime members are automatically upgraded to Alexa+
- Users are still mixed in the service
- You can opt out and go back to regular old Alexa.
When Amazon announced Alexa+, the future looked bright for the AI-powered smart assistant, poised to offer agent assistance that could rival even the likes of Google Gemini and ChatGPT.
However, while the service has a next-generation upgrade that could revolutionize home assistants as we know them, there is a long way to go before many of the promised features are fully functional (or, indeed, available to users).
There is an obvious reason for this; Alexa+ is still in early access, meaning all current users are effectively part of a big beta test, as pointed out by Reddit users on r/AmazonEcho. However, that beta test appears to have expanded to a group of Prime customers through an automatic enrollment in the service, as reported by The Verge, and has irritated the user base once again.
That said, if your main reasons for opting out are preventive, it’s worth trying the service for yourself, because there are a few very satisfied customers who might be able to convince you otherwise.
It could be worse…
Am I the only person on the planet who really likes Alexa+? from r/amazonecho
We’ve already covered some of those recent concerns, as well as our own hands-on testing of early access to Alexa+, but it’s not all doom and gloom in Alexa+ land.
In light of complaints about reduced functionality and excessive advertising, some highlight specific features that have really improved by using the service.
“I love the change! I can finally get answers to my questions,” says one user, referencing Alexa’s improved conversation capabilities and improved search functions. “It makes my daily routines more seamless and I enjoy how it integrates with my smart home devices,” adds one commenter.
In fact, smart home control seems to be a recurring theme among those enjoying the service, which offers enhanced voice control from threaded requests to natural language automation settings.
Elsewhere, people are finding new ways to use Alexa+ after the update: “I’m having a lot of fun with my Alexa+ in my art studio/store. She’s my shop assistant and I think she’s amazing.” said a Reddit user in another thread.
Furthermore, its contextual knowledge seems to be useful in practice for some users: “The other day I was making German pancakes and I had a recipe and I could ask things like ‘How much flour? How many eggs? What ingredients are left?’ and he went on and walked me through the whole recipe.”
…but it could be better!
Look
In the wake of some such complaints, other Reddit users blame the negativity bias of Reddit’s user base for widespread complaints about the service.
Others agreed, acknowledging that there was room for improvement, but with a little more patience than some Internet users. “Nowadays, no software is perfect at launch, and maybe not after. The advantage of Alexa+ is that it’s new, so it has a team of developers working on bug fixes and improvements, and that can only be a good thing,” said one user.
“Even people with bad experiences should now find, if they report problems, that the system improves, because that’s inevitable at this point.”
In a similar vein, other users are using Alexa+ as a means to become more familiar with AI: “The reason I use Alexa is because AI is not going away and I want to understand how it works. Of course, it is imperfect, but it is unrealistic to think that the new technology will be fully developed.”
That’s a worthwhile consideration; Alexa+ shows no signs of slowing down: Amazon recently launched Alexa+ on the web, bringing the AI assistant to a wide range of devices, from electric vehicles to home appliances.
Unsubscribe with ease
Still, there are plenty of unhappy customers who decide they don’t want the free upgrade, ranging from simple reasons like Alexa+’s irritating “Valley Girl” cadence to reduced functionality and a large number of ads.
That’s doubly true given that the free Alexa+ upgrade for Prime users currently rolling out is automatic, meaning you can’t opt out and cancel it until the service is already active; Fortunately, it is a very simple process to exit the hive mind.
Simply say ‘Alexa, exit Alexa+’ to remove the service from your Echo devices, and if you change your mind later you can rejoin by saying “Alexa, sign in to Alexa+.” It’s that easy!
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