Amazon Has Gen AI Plans

Don’t be mistaken by the headline, for Amazon didn’t just share some insights into the future of artificial intelligence, it also came up with new and upgraded offerings of its products and services during the annual Fall Devices Event. So, why did we just pick up the AI bit? Because, it just happens to be the flavor of the season. 

(Source: Amazon) 

There were announcements around Alexa, the Echo series of devices, Fire TV as well as news about Amazon’s smart home gear that includes some smart camera work. And then there’s the Wi-Fi system weirdly-named Eero’s new version, which could boggle one’s mind and empty one’s wallet. Here’s a gist of all that Amazon showcased: 

Generative AI to the fore

If GenAI is pervading our lives, could Amazon be left behind? The company announced several enhancements to its Alexa using generative AI and also relieved plans to use it around a custom built large language model optimized for voice interactions. In addition, the company also announced that it would add smart home experiences to make Alexa cooler. 

(Source: Amazon) 

Without going into details, Amazon says the conversational interactions of the future would also note body language, gestures and even eye contact. Of course, it is up to users to determine whether this makes the devices more creepy or friendly. It would also be able to take multiple requests into one interaction and also not require using ‘Alexa’ to start conversions or continue. 

The company has promised a more natural sounding voice besides adding emotional responses such as expressive voice, laughter, excitement and sounds that humans make when they are listening. Imagine Alexa saying “mm-hmm” each time you say something. US customers will get these services first before it moves elsewhere. 

Adding empathy to the intelligence

Amazon introduced Eye Gaze, a feature that supports users with mobility or speech challenges. It allows customers with Fire TV Max11 tablets to glance at their device to play music, make calls and access smart homes. The early roll outs are likely to happen in the US alongside the UK, Japan and Germany. 

There’s also the Alexa Emergency Exit that comes as a paid service which enables users to access emergency services through their Echo devices.The costs work out to $59 a year. Map View is another feature that Amazon came up with that creates a digital map of the house that makes it easier to pin connected devices and control them via their Alexa app. So, there’s no more need to visualize the home and devices. Now, one can just scroll down a list of devices. 

Alongside Eye Gaze, Amazon also came up with Call Translation whereby Alexa audio and video calls can be captioned in real time. The company plans to launch in more than 10 languages though one must say that languages from India may take some time to make the list. Besides translations, it also helps those challenged with hearing deficiencies. 

And what about the devices? 

(Source: Amazon) 

Make no mistake! Amazon’s Fall Event is all about devices. It’s just that we couldn’t resist the AI bit to start this post. The new Amazon Echo Show 8 has an adaptive content feature besides enhanced audio and video calling, room adaption technology and custom-build spatial audio. All of this makes it a significant upgrade from earlier versions. There’s a sharp redesign that makes it minimalistic with a front-facing camera and a physical switch to turn off the microphone. A proximity sensor adjusts the image and text size based on how close one is. 

(Source: Amazon) 

Amazon has brought out a new wall-mounted smart home control panel with Alexa at the core. The Echo Hub comes with a touch-enabled display and a customizable dashboard for easy management of one’s smart homes that combines the security system. It has the capability of organizing widgets and the ability to view multiple camera snapshots or live views on screen simultaneously. Must say this is one smart device that makes the homes smarter. The product is configured to work with the new Maps feature so that users can control devices on a room-to-room basis. 

(Source: Amazon) 

And then there are the upgrades

The next generation Echo Frames are thinner and come in as many as seven contours including prescription ready sunglasses and blue light lens options These Alexa-powered glasses would also have enhanced speech processing, improved noise isolation and most importantly better battery life of up to six hours on a full charge. 

The second gen Fire TV Stick 4K now has WiFi 6 support and has a better processor that makes it about 30% more powerful. The Max edition of the Firestick  will also feature the Fire TV Ambient Experience which means that when there’s no streaming, the Alexa-powered smart display will auto feature. There is also the branded soundbars that works with any Fire TV device and supports both DTS Virtual X and Dolby Audio. What’s more, one can connect to it using a smartphone or tablet via bluetooth. 

Finally, some upgrades also came the way of Ring and Blink. While the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro includes radar-based 3D motion detection with indoor and outdoor cameras and three power options of battery, plug-in and solar, Blink got its first system hub that offers extended range which means one can place cameras further away for more coverage.