Amazon Alexa AI Upgrade Delayed Due to Issues

According to sources cited by The Washington Post, Amazon's planned unveiling of an upgraded version of Alexa at an event on February 26 has been delayed by at least a month. One of the main reasons for this postponement is that the updated voice assistant struggled with accuracy when responding to test queries.

An anonymous Amazon employee stated that due to these issues, the release of the upgraded version might not happen until March 31 or later. Reports suggest that the new Alexa could be linked to a subscription service, offering features such as "simulated personalities, recalling conversations, ordering food, or calling rides." Initially, Amazon intended to launch this version later this month as a free trial, but internal documents and messages indicate that plans have shifted.

Prior to news of the delay in Alexa's upgrade, there had been months of rumors about Amazon's struggles in achieving its goal of enhancing Alexa with generative AI capabilities. In 2023, Amazon announced that this upgrade would be completed within months, yet it remains unfinished. It was originally scheduled for release by the end of 2024, but feedback from testers highlighted issues such as slow responses, stiffness, and insufficient practicality, leading to the delay. Amazon declined to comment on the report.

In related developments, Apple is also reportedly facing challenges in upgrading Siri's artificial intelligence. According to Bloomberg, the expected enhancements to Siri, which were anticipated to roll out alongside iOS 18.4, may be limited or even postponed entirely until the release of iOS 18.5 in May. Meanwhile, Google continues to lead the field with its Gemini-powered digital assistant, making significant strides in leveraging generative AI to modernize older smartphone assistants.