Amazon, the tech giant known for its voice assistant Alexa, is facing delays in rolling out a new and improved version of the popular AI. This news comes on the heels of Apple’s announcement of a new and advanced Siri powered by “Apple Intelligence” at the WWDC 2024 conference.
According to a report from Fortune, Amazon’s Alexa is struggling to undergo a generative AI makeover that would make it the best personal assistant in the world. The report cites interviews with former employees who highlighted organizational dysfunction and technological challenges as the main reasons for the delay in Alexa’s upgrade. Despite Amazon’s response that the claims were outdated, it seems that the new and more conversational Alexa is still stuck in a limited preview stage.
Many employees who were interviewed by Fortune expressed doubts about the readiness of the new Alexa and feared that competitors might overtake it by the time it launches. The biggest challenge Amazon faces is integrating the new capabilities of Alexa with its existing features, causing delays in the rollout of the improved assistant. The decentralized organizational structure at Amazon has also been cited as a hindrance to the development of the new Alexa.
Despite the setbacks, Amazon remains committed to enhancing Alexa with generative AI. The company’s spokesperson, Kristy Schmidt, emphasized their vision to create the best personal assistant and highlighted the integration of generative AI into Alexa’s components. However, with the fall of 2024 approaching, Amazon is under pressure to deliver on its promises, especially with the departure of key executives and the appointment of new leadership.
As Amazon races to catch up with its competitors in the voice assistant market, the future of Alexa remains uncertain. The company’s ability to overcome internal challenges and align its organizational structure with its goals will determine the success of the new and improved Alexa. Customers are eagerly awaiting the rollout of the advanced AI assistant and hoping that Amazon can fulfill its vision of creating a revolutionary technology akin to the Star Trek computer.