Alexa: Amazon's paid upgrade to run with Claude
Amazon originally wanted to use its own AI system for the upgraded version of Alexa. However, it has now opted for Anthropics Claude.
(Image: Shutterstock.com; Phil Lewis)
Amazon apparently wants to run its upcoming premium Alexa with an external AI system. According to a report by Reuters, Amazon prefers Claude by Anthropic to the internal AI model that has been powering the normal Alexa for years.
The premium version of the voice assistant is to be called "Remarkable Alexa" and is expected to cost a monthly fee. It will offer a number of additional functions compared to the standard version, which should enable more natural conversations.
However, the further development of Alexa is apparently progressing slowly, as reported by Fortune magazine, among others. According to Reuters, one reason for the slow progress is the underlying AI system. Amazon's in-house development is said to have taken too long to respond to requests. It is said to have worked better with the AI chatbot Claude from the company Anthropic.
Natural conversations thanks to Claude
According to the report, Remarkable Alexa will be "primarily" powered by Claude. It is unclear exactly what this means. It is also currently unclear whether Claude will be used in the standard version of Alexa. Anthropic has not commented on the report, Amazon responded evasively: various AI models are being used, the company wrote to Reuters – including in-house developments.
Amazon's Remarkable Alexa is said to be able to have more natural conversations with users. In a demo, Amazon showed that Alexa no longer needs to be constantly addressed as "Alexa" to engage in a conversation. The voice assistant is also set to develop a stronger personality.
According to further Reuters reports, Amazon could charge 5 to 10 US dollars per month for this upgraded version of Alexa. However, the standard version will continue to be available free of charge.
(dahe)
