Amazon plans to charge $5 to $10 a month for its new “Remarkable” version of Alexa as it will use powerful generative AI to answer complex queries, while still offering the “Classic” voice assistant for free, Reuters reported in June.

But initial versions of the new Alexa using in-house software simply struggled for words, sometimes taking six or seven seconds to acknowledge a prompt and reply, one of the people said.

That’s why Amazon turned to Claude, an AI chatbot developed by startup Anthropic, as it performed better than the online retail giant’s own AI models, the people said.

Reuters based this story upon interviews with five people with direct knowledge of the Alexa strategy. All declined to be named as they are not authorized to discuss non-public matters.

Alexa, accessed mainly through Amazon televisions and Echo devices, can set timers, play music, act as a central hub for smart home controls and answer one-off questions.

But Amazon’s attempts to convince users to shop through Alexa to generate more revenue have been mostly unsuccessful and the division remains unprofitable.

As a result, senior management has stressed that 2024 is a critical year for Alexa to finally demonstrate it can generate meaningful sales – and the revamped paid version is seen as a way both to do that and keep pace with rivals.

“Amazon uses many different technologies to power Alexa,” a company spokeswoman said in a statement in response to detailed Reuters questions for this story.

“When it comes to machine learning models, we start with those built by Amazon, but we have used, and will continue to use, a variety of different models – including (Amazon AI model) Titan and future Amazon models, as well as those from partners – to build the best experience for customers,” the spokeswoman said.

Anthropic, in which Amazon owns a minority stake, declined to comment for this story.

AI Partnerships

Amazon has typically eschewed relying on technology it hasn’t developed in-house so it can ensure it has full control of the user experience, data collection and direct relationships with customers.

But it would not be alone in turning to a partner to improve AI products. Microsoft and Apple, for example, have both struck partnerships with OpenAI to use its ChatGPT to power some of their products.

The release of the Remarkable Alexa, as it is known internally, is expected in October, with a preview of the new service coming during Amazon’s annual devices and services event typically held in September, the people said.

Amazon has not yet said, however, when it plans to hold its showcase event, which will be the first major public appearance of its new devices chief, Panos Panay, who was hired last year to replace long-time executive David Limp.

The wide release in late 2022 of ChatGPT, which gives full-sentence answers almost instantaneously to complicated queries, set off a frenzy of investing and corporate maneuvering to develop better AI software for a variety of functions, including image, video and voice services.

By comparison, Amazon’s decade-old Alexa appeared outmoded, Amazon workers have told Reuters.

While Amazon has a mantra of “working backwards from the customer” to come up with new services, some of the people said that within the Alexa group, the emphasis since last year has instead been on keeping up with competitors in the AI race.

Amazon workers also have expressed skepticism that customers would be willing to pay $60 to $120 per year for a service that’s free today – on top of the $139 many already pay for their Prime memberships.

Alexa Upgrades

As envisioned, the paid version of Alexa would carry on conversations with a user that build on prior questions and answers, the people with knowledge of the Alexa strategy said.

The upgraded Alexa is designed to allow users to seek shopping advice such as which clothes to buy for a vacation and to aggregate news stories, the people said. And it is meant to carry out more complicated requests, such as ordering food or drafting emails all from a single prompt.

Amazon hopes the new Alexa will also be a supercharged home automation hub, remembering customer preferences so that, say, morning alarms are set, or the television knows to record favorite shows even when a user forgets to, they said.

The company’s plans for Alexa, however, could be delayed or altered if the technology fails to meet certain internal benchmarks, the people said, without giving further details.

Bank of America analyst Justin Post estimated in June that there are roughly 100 million active Alexa users and that about 10% of those might opt for the paid version of Alexa. Assuming the low end of the monthly price range, that would bring in at least $600 million in annual sales.

Amazon says it has sold 500 million Alexa-enabled devices but does not disclose how many active users there are.

Announcing a deal to invest $4 billion in Anthropic in September last year, Amazon said its customers would gain early access to its technology. Reuters could not determine if Amazon would have to pay Anthropic additionally for the use of Claude in Alexa.

Amazon declined to discuss the details of its agreements with the startup. Alphabet’s Google has also invested at least $2 billion in Anthropic.

The retailer, along with Google, is facing a formal probe from the UK’s antitrust regulator over the Anthropic deal and its impact on competition. It announced an initial investigation in August and said it has 40 working days to decide whether to move it to a more heightened stage of scrutiny.

The Washington Post earlier reported the October time frame for release of the new Alexa.

© Thomson Reuters 2024

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Apple AI-Powered Tabletop Robotic Device Uses

In his weekly Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple’s purported tabletop device will likely launch in 2026 or 2027. It will reportedly be equipped with a robotic actuator that would control the in-built iPad-like screen at the top, allowing its 360-degree rotation and tilt movement. The device is said to have been codenamed J595.

As per Gurman, the purported robotic device would fulfill three purposes:

1. Function as a portable computer in non-ideal locations
2. Help in capturing images or taking videoconference calls by functioning as a tripod with an iPad
3. Serve as a remote home security surveillance tool when the user is not at home

While the device isn’t even official, the report speculates that the device’s display could swivel when the user wants to take video conferencing calls in non-ideal locations, such as the kitchen. It could also gain spatial awareness courtesy of special hardware and software, in addition to integrated AI capabilities.

The idea for the tabletop robotic device is reported to have been approved by the company in 2022 but its development has only gained pace in recent months, following the cancellation of the Apple Car project. Its development is said to be solely being spearheaded by Kevin Lynch, who led the company’s former project.

Previous reports have suggested that the purported device could also become Apple’s first home gadget to get features powered by Apple Intelligence – its AI suite. Gurman also suggested that it may also respond to commands such as “look at me”, by repositioning the screen to face the speaker, leveraging the company’s voice assistant Siri.

However, it could be an expensive affair. According to Gurman, the iPhone maker is said to be working to bring its price down to $1000 (roughly Rs. 84,000).

Dreame New Vacuum Cleaners Price in India

The Dreame L10 Prime is priced at Rs. 45.999 in India, while the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 comes with a price tag of Rs. 39,999. The Dreame D9 Max Gen 2’s price is set at Rs. 29,999. The Dreame H12 Dual is priced at Rs 36,999. The Dreame Mova J10, Mova J20 and Mova J30 are priced at Rs. 7,999; Rs. 10,999 and Rs. 13,999, respectively.

Dreame L10 Prime, D10 Plus Gen 2, D9 Max Gen 2 specifications

The Dreame L10 Prime vacuum and mop combo features dual rotary mop pads that rotate at 180RPM (revolutions per minute). After mopping is completed, the mop is raised by 7mm when returning to the base station. The self-cleaning machine comes with 4,000Pa suction power and features a bristleless rubber brush. The robot cleaner identifies carpets and rugs and uses LiDAR navigation and a SLAM algorithm for mapping. For multi-floor buildings, it makes three separate 3D floor maps to clean and navigate. It is compatible with the Dreamehome app that lets users make virtual boundaries, set no-mop zones, customise cleaning time, and more.

The Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 boasts a self-cleaning mop and auto-emptying system. The robot provides 6,000Pa of suction power. The 2-in-1 dual action cleaner that comes with cleaning and mopping capabilities features a rubber brush and allows users to choose moisture level. It includes 4 litre dust bag capacity and Dreame claims one bag can last up to 90 days of cleaning. Beyond the Dreamehome app, it is comparable with Alexa, Siri and Google Home.

Meanwhile, the entry-level Dreame D9 Max Gen 2 can sweep and mop at the same time. It offers 6,000Pa suction power and includes a rubber brush. Both Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 and D9 Max Gen 2 use the company’s Smart Pathfinder technology to navigate across different spaces and return to the dock. 

Dreame H12 Dual specifications

The Dreame H12 Dual is a cordless wet and dry vacuum cleaner that is claimed to wipe the floor 520 times per minute. It carries a 900ml clean water tank and allows users to switch between different operation modes like auto, suction, standard, and turbo. It comes with a self-cleaning feature and hot air drying is done for the brush after self-cleaning with a roller brush, brush scraper, and serrated bristles. It carries a 6×4,000mAh battery pack.

Dreame Move J10, Move J20 and Move J30 specifications

The Dreame Move J30, Move J20 and Move J10 are cordless stick vacuum cleaners. The Move J30 model features a 450W brushless motor and is advertised to deliver up to 60 minutes of cleaning time. The Mova J20 boasts a 250W brushless motor and is claimed to provide up to 50 minutes of cleaning time. The Mova J10 features a 150W brushless motor and is said to deliver up to 35 minutes of cleaning time.