2024-08-31 13:53:32
Amazon is revising its digital voice assistant Alexa – and is relying on artificial intelligence. But this does not come from Amazon itself.
According to insiders, Amazon is using artificial intelligence (AI) from Anthropic for the planned revision of the digital assistant Alexa. The online retailer decided on the AI Claude from its OpenAI rival because an in-house development was not technically convincing, several people familiar with the matter told the Reuters news agency on Friday.
“Amazon uses many different technologies to operate Alexa,” a spokeswoman for the company said when asked. These include the self-developed AI Titan as well as programs from other providers. Anthropic, in which Amazon holds a minority stake of up to four billion dollars, did not want to comment on the matter.
It remained unclear whether the online retailer would have to pay additional money to Anthropic for using Claude. The US company Anthropic works in the field of artificial intelligence and was founded in 2021 by former members of OpenAI.
Amazon is not the only technology company that uses technologies from other providers for AI. For example, iPhone manufacturer Apple is partly using ChatGPT from OpenAI for the new version of its digital assistant Siri. The software company Microsoft is using the same technology for its “copilot” in various products.
For Alexa, 2024 is a decisive year. The loss-making digital assistant, which Amazon employees believe appears old-fashioned and technologically backward compared to ChatGPT, must prove that it can generate significant revenue. Therefore, the Remarkable version upgraded with Claude is intended to carry out complex tasks for a monthly fee of five to ten dollars. For example, it could advise users when purchasing products or make suggestions for their next vacation trip.
The classic version, which can play music or set an alarm, remains free. According to analyst Justin Post from Bank of America, there are currently around 100 million active Alexa users. If around ten percent of them use the subscription and the monthly fee is at the lower end of the targeted range, this would mean additional revenue of at least 600 million dollars annually.
The market launch of the revised Alexa is expected in October. The new version is expected to be presented at the annual product presentation in September. Amazon has not yet announced a date for this event. In the event of technical problems, the debut of Remarkable Alexa could be delayed, the insiders emphasized.