Amazon adds chatbot interface to Alexa+ in latest update

Amazon has rolled out a new chatbot-style update for Alexa+, which was released in February of last year. The new web version will make Alexa+ features available on any device, anywhere through the web client, removing the need for an Amazon device to access the chatbot. 

The website version frees Alexa+ from hardware and makes it readily available, much like other established chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and xAI’s Grok. Alexa+ was introduced in February 2025 via early access, offering seamless features that include managing customer to-do lists, updating family calendars, controlling smart homes, and making reservations. 

Amazon’s chatbot eliminates the need for a dedicated hardware device

Until today, Alexa+ has been available only on dedicated Amazon hardware devices. Amazon has eliminated the need for a hardware device by making the chatbot available on any device via the web client. The AI chatbot will now be available to Alexa+ customers in early access, and a subsequent Prime membership will start at $15 per month at the end of the early access period.

Just in: https://t.co/YNHxAymgka rolls out to all Alexa+ Early Access customers, bringing the power of Alexa+ to your browser. Learn more. ⬇️ https://t.co/D8IgQBf0QW

— Amazon News (@amazonnews) January 5, 2026

Amazon had already introduced a browser-based version of Alexa before its termination in 2023. The tool was available before the introduction of generative AI tools. The current chatbot incorporates generative AI features, suggesting that Amazon is following the footsteps of established chatbots such as ChatGPT, Grok, and Gemini.

Alexa+ AI chatbot can be used to get answers quickly, explore complex scenarios, create content, plan trips and meals, and receive help with homework for students. Additionally, Amazon revealed that the Alexa+ is designed to take action, such as managing to-do lists and updating family calendars. The new AI chatbot has provided continuity, allowing access on whichever device or interface is most suitable for the tasks at hand. It integrates all the previous features of Alexa+ with your preferences and personalization.

Amazon has made several improvements to the Alexa+ AI LLM since its launch, including the integration with Ring doorbells last month and powering BMW’s car AI tools. On December 18, 2025, Amazon announced the Greetings feature, which lets Alexa+ answer the doorbell and converse with visitors, offering advanced features for gated communities and homes. According to Amazon, the AI model transforms your Ring doorbell into an intelligent assistant that can determine who’s at your door, understand their need, and respond conversationally. 

The cloud computing giant also introduced an Alexa Custom Assistant platform that allows third-party firms to build their own AI assistants powered by Alexa+, using Alexa’s technology. BMW has already partnered with Amazon to enhance its drivers’ in-vehicle interactions with a more natural, conversational style. The Alexa+ chatbot can access the driver’s manual to answer any vehicle-related question in real time. 

Browsers pave the way for more AI chatbot users 

Google’s Gemini has faced backlash from other AI groups seeking to challenge its dominance in browser-based AI chatbots. According to a recent Cryptopolitan report, top AI groups have criticized Google’s dominance in the browser market, which controls roughly 63% of the market share, according to CloudFlare. So far, other platforms, including OpenAI and Perplexity, have introduced their own browsers, while Microsoft has launched Copilot AI in the Edge browser. 

Mark Surman, President of the Mozilla Foundation, said that  AI browsers will shape the future of our interaction with the internet. Amazon’s creation of a web-based AI chatbot signals its move toward a more direct relationship with its users, who currently interact with the chatbot only in browsers controlled by Google and Microsoft. 

The report highlighted that integrating AI chatbots into browsers also introduces security risks, such as prompt injection. Such attacks enable malicious actors to influence the behavior of LLMs by inserting malicious prompts on websites. This could lead to the loss of sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, which users usually trust AI chatbots to keep safe. 

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