Amazon reportedly delayed the release of its AI-powered assistant Alexa upgrade once again after internal testing flagged persistent problems with incorrect responses, as rivals Google and OpenAI push ahead in the increasingly competitive field.
Initially expected to roll out at a launch event on 26 February, the update has been delayed until at least the end of March, The Washington Post reported. First announced in September 2023, the upcoming launch event is scheduled to proceed but marks a second attempt to introduce the update as Amazon continues to face setbacks.
The tech giant has been working to enhance its voice assistant Alexa’s capabilities with a more advanced AI offerings, promising features including personalised conversations, memory recall and complex tasks management including ordering food and booking taxis. While initially planned as part of a premium subscription-based offering, these features were set to launch as a free trial before the latest delay.
Last year, it was reported Amazon would integrate generative AI company Anthropic’s Claude AI into its revamped Alexa, replacing its own model after tests showed slower response times. The collaboration follows Amazon’s hefty $4 billion investment in the company.
Long-running challenges
An initial launch scheduled for late 2024 was reportedly pushed back after beta testers flagged slow and unhelpful responses.
Reports by Fortune last year indicated internal issues at Amazon, as the company struggled to train Alexa’s large language model to handle natural language, citing slow responses as well as issues with API calls and smart home integration. Additionally, sources apparently criticised the company’s decentralised structure, citing internal friction and slow development.
As a revamped Alexa’s debut is once again pushed back, AI-powered virtual assistant rivals have pressed ahead. Google’s Gemini AI has been integrated into Samsung’s Galaxy S24 smartphones, while OpenAI launched a beta virtual assistant for ChatGPT last month, complete with automated functions.