In an effort to compete with the globally popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, e-commerce juggernaut Amazon is reportedly improving Alexa’s capabilities by enabling it to remember details about users like a close friend or family member does.
This vision for Alexa, Amazon’s homegrown virtual assistant, was constructed by Amazon executives during the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026) in Las Vegas earlier this month.
The company is fueling the excitement surrounding Alexa, which debuted in 2014 as an easy-to-use voice assistant.
How Amazon’s Alexa lost to ChatGPT in 2022
While the virtual assistant gained enormous popularity and reinforced interest in voice technology, the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 changed that and forced Amazon to rethink its strategy.
In 2023, Amazon announced plans to make Alexa a more personal and conversational assistant, then launched Alexa+ last year. But a real testimony is missing so far, and to do that, Amazon needs to show that Alexa+ dan delivers an improved experience compared to the standard version.
Panos Panay, Amazon’s head of devices and services, noted that while many users value basic functions like turning on coffee machines, transformative experiences are the result of extensive contextual understanding.
The recently launched Alexa website mimics the interactive platforms developed by OpenAI and AI startup Perplexity, allowing users to chat with Alexa online and continue those conversations across devices.
How Alexa+ Competes with ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini
Panay highlighted Alexa’s excellent ability to remember user preferences and complete tasks in no time. For example, when he asked about dog harnesses, Alexa had options ready on her Echo Show when he came back.
This personal touch sets Alexa apart from competitors like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
