Amazon has fulfilled its commitment to launch an enhanced Alexa experience, Alexa+, by the end of March. However, the service reportedly falls short of many features Amazon showcased during a press event in late February.
According to The Washington Post, Alexa+ currently cannot perform certain “agentic” AI tasks highlighted in the company’s marketing, such as ordering food through Grubhub or creating stories for kids. The assistant also lacks the ability to visually recognize people, remind them to complete tasks, or suggest gift ideas—three additional features presented at the event.
Some features, like ordering an Uber or receiving cooking recommendations, are being gradually rolled out to a limited group of users. Meanwhile, the web app Amazon introduced for Alexa+ last month still has no confirmed release date.
The issues with Alexa+ are reportedly linked to challenges with the AI infrastructure supporting it. Based on The Post’s reporting, it appears that Amazon is still working through these hurdles.
