Amazon has announced a pretty meaty update for Alexa Plus, adding new AI tools that it says will make the digital assistant more capable across smart home devices and third-party services.
The updates are designed so that you can make more natural requests, while giving manufacturers and developers new ways to connect products and services to Amazon’s AI-powered assistant.
The new features are available in preview now and include an AI-powered smart home developer toolkit, support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and Amazon Wallet integration for voice-based purchases.
For smart home users, the biggest change is that Alexa Plus should be able to understand more conversational requests and automatically figure out which device feature or setting is needed, rather than relying on users to remember specific commands.
For example, you could say: “Alexa, my work clothes need a deep clean, but the tag says cold wash only.” Alexa Plus should then be able to select the most appropriate wash program on its own from a connected washing machine.
Amazon says its new AI-powered toolkit allows manufacturers to expose far more of their products’ functionality to Alexa Plus, including advanced features that previously weren’t supported.
The assistant will also be able to learn from how you use your smart home and suggest new automations, such as starting your coffee maker when your morning alarm goes off.
Amazon has revealed that people who’ve upgraded to Alexa Plus are already using their smart homes more, with activity increasing by almost 50% during the first month. Users are also creating twice as many Routines compared to before.
A long list of smart home brands has already signed up to use the new toolkit, including Bosch, Delta, Ecovacs, Govee, iRobot, Moen Flo, PetSafe, Pila Energy, SONOFF, Tapo, Twinkly, Whirlpool, Yale Home and Anker Innovations.
Beyond the smart home, Amazon is also opening Alexa Plus to more services by adopting the Model Context Protocol, or MCP. The open framework allows AI assistants to connect with external tools and services more easily, reducing the work required for developers to build Alexa integrations.
Companies including Canva, Cengage, Crystal Dynamics, Headspace, Lyft, Priceline, Viator, Virgin Atlantic, Brightline, FlixBus, and Greyhound are expected to begin building Alexa Plus experiences using MCP later this year.