To avoid being left behind by Apple, Google and Microsoft, Amazon is reviewing its voice assistant to add artificial intelligence and could charge users a月額5 monthly fee to access enhanced features, according to a Reuters report

The new, enhanced Alexa represents a major rework of the assistant that debuted 10 years ago and has been built into every smart speaker Amazon has released since However, adoption and use of Alexa has stalled in recent years, as most Amazon Echo owners are happy to use Alexa primarily for setting timers, requesting music, controlling smart home devices, and more According to the report, the new AI initiative is codenamed "Banyan" and the new voice assistant is called "Remarkable Alexa"

The company is working towards an 8-month deadline, and it makes sense if Amazon can thoroughly test it and reveal it in its annual product announcement, which usually takes place on 9 May 

At Amazon's Devices & Services event on May 9 last year, the company announced that it would add generated AI to Alexa, but it has declined little by little since then The only major AI announcements were Rufus, an AI shopping assistant, and a new Fire TV AI feature that makes it easier to search for your favorite shows 

Just this past 11 months, Amazon has fired hundreds of people from its Alexa department and redirected that energy to AI

The Alexa currently in use will be replaced by an AI-enhanced one The basic tier is free, but if you want to ask for more complex queries, it costs 5-5 per month 

The paid version of Alexa was suggested in a Business Insider report on May 1, but there was no information about the price at the time

The pay tier not only allows you to order dinner from Uber Eats at a single prompt, but also uses Alexa to do things like create and send emails, according to a Reuters article, the new Alexa will also provide more personalization What's more, the new, smarter Alexa lets you intuitively learn a person's smart home routine, rather than programming a specific routine in the Alexa app 

As Ios 18 officially rolls out this fall with Apple Intelligence incorporating ChatGPT into iphones, ipads, and Macs, whatever it plans, Amazon, its work has been cut out for it

  Google will also unveil a raft of new AI features on Google I/O on May 5, while Samsung expects to also unveil some AI features for the device on Galaxy Unpacked on May 7