Alexa has been part of my family’s life since it launched in Australia back in 2018. She quickly became an integral part of our day – starting our morning with a calendar and weather check; reminding the kids what day they need to take their library books, and playing their favourite tracks (at full volume).
Today, Aussie customers interact with Alexa more than two billion times each year – including over 34 million checks on the weather forecast. She manages smart home devices (more than 600 million times in the last 12 months alone), helps in the kitchen with recipes and conversions, and settles family debates without missing a beat.
Put simply, Alexa has become an integral part of the home and day for millions of Australians.
We're announcing a new chapter for Alexa in Australia: Alexa+. Alexa+ represents our biggest leap forward in personal AI – shifting from a more transactional "ask and do" experience to a sidekick that you can chat to naturally, remembers your preferences, can turn up the heating if it senses a temperature drop, and is genuinely more capable of getting things done. Restaurant bookings. Shopping. Home security. Music discovery. Schedule management. Shift your mental load to Alexa+ so you can spend more time doing the things you love.
And the best news? Australian customers can experience Alexa+ starting today. We plan to invite thousands of customers to experience the new Alexa+ over the coming weeks. You can register your interest at amazon.com.au/newalexa. If you just can’t wait, you can purchase an eligible Echo device and immediately be eligible to opt in.
I've had Alexa+ in my home for a while now, so I've had plenty of time to explore all the new features. Here are some of my favourites:
Conversations feel natural
The first thing you notice is how effortless interactions become. You're not talking to technology - it feels more like chatting to a neighbour or friend. Alexa understands half-thoughts, local colloquialisms like arvo, snags, servo, and the complex rambling questions quirky roommates specialise in. Alexa now grasps your intent, not just your words.
She's also tuned into Australian culture. Local expressions, Aussie sports, homegrown music. Ask her to remember your favourite footy team, and she'll be ready to chat more about their season and dissect the results of the latest game.
Alexa+ gets things done
Alexa+ is built on advanced large language models (LLMs) through Amazon Bedrock, which are foundational to the breakthrough in capability. This isn't just Alexa with generative AI plugged in – it's an all-new architecture which connects hundreds of services and devices to deliver a smarter Alexa experience that personalises to your individual and household needs.
A chatbot that can answer questions is useful. But an assistant that can get things done for you changes your day. Alexa+ can now take action in the real world. She can book a table at your favourite local restaurant, alert you about potential calendar clashes, save cherished family recipes, recommend a gift for your mum and buy it for you, or turn the air con on proactively when she senses the temperature has risen in the room you're in.
Alexa+ is connected to services Australian customers use daily: smart home management, music via Amazon Music, Spotify, or Apple Music; local radio; restaurant bookings through OpenTable; stream news from ABC, News24; and go deeper into topics with The Guardian, AAP, The Associated Press, and Reuters. And coming soon is trip planning with Tripadvisor. Alexa also keeps you entertained with your favourite shows on Prime Video, the latest podcasts and audiobooks on Audible.
Personalised and proactive
Beyond intelligence, Alexa+ brings consideration, empathy, and humour when appropriate. The more you interact with her, the more useful she becomes. Now, it's not just "Alexa" – it's your Alexa. She learns your preferences, routines, music, books, and even foods you avoid. Her tone adjusts across conversations, so if your team wins the grand final, she'll match your energy when you ask about the game. Through visual and voice ID, she recognises household members and tailors responses accordingly.
Tell Alexa+ about your daily routine and preferences, and she'll help your day flow smoothly. Long day at the office? She'll help you wind down by lowering the lights and playing your favourite artist to help you reset for the evening. She'll remember that your housemate is vegetarian and your kid doesn't like capsicum (this month), and factor this in when recommending meal ideas or restaurants.
Alexa+ is there when you need her, but never in the way
Alexa+ anticipates useful moments. Cooling your home before you get back from work and starting the coffee machine as you start your day. This intelligent anticipation shifts your relationship with technology from demanding attention to quietly enhancing life.
We call this ambient AI. Technology that's there when you need it but fades into the background when you don't. Alexa+ is always there, but without pulling focus from what matters. She coordinates with devices to deliver contextual awareness and personalised experiences based on time of day, location in your home, and your established habits.
Accessible anywhere, anytime
Alexa+ is always with you, whether you're in the kitchen talking to your Echo Show, relaxing in the living room watching your favourite show on Fire TV, or soon – working on your laptop. In the coming months, we'll be launching Alexa.com.au – where you can use Alexa+ directly in your browser – perfect for more complex or detailed research tasks, or finishing what you started via voice at home.
What makes this truly powerful is how seamlessly your conversations carry over. Start researching dinner recipes on your Echo Show in the kitchen, then continue on your phone on your train to the city, and Alexa+ picks up right where you left off. She remembers the context and what you were discussing. Alexa+ never misses a beat.
Shopping feels intuitive
Running low on dishwashing liquid? Just tell Alexa and she'll check availability and price of your preferred brand and confirm with you before ordering. Planning a party? Alexa can help you build a shopping list. She tracks your Amazon orders, and can also alert you to price drops. Alexa can also help narrow down which blender will best meet your needs by comparing features and summarising customer reviews. It's like having a personal shopper on call.
Manage your home naturally
With thousands of smart home devices connected to Alexa in Australia, controlling your lights, cameras and air con is now easier than ever. Just say "It's dark," and Alexa will turn the lights on. You can also create custom Routines entirely by voice, combining multiple actions – like adjusting lights, playing music, and sharing the weather forecast. No need to open the Alexa app.
Alexa also moves through the house with you. If you're cooking in the kitchen and say "Alexa, play my favourite artist," she will start it on your nearby Echo Show. When you move into the living room just say, "Alexa, move the music here" and she will do it, seamlessly.
You can also check if that delivery arrived with your Ring doorbell camera – just say "Alexa, did any packages get delivered today?" and she will connect to your Ring camera, analyse the video footage and show you if anyone left a parcel.¹
Built for Australia
Building Alexa+ for Australia requires more than just swapping out a few words – it requires understanding how Australians actually communicate. She knows what a “servo” and “bottlo” are, that Bunnings does a great weekend snag, and that the Roosters would never line up against the Magpies (wrong code, mate). It's not just the slang she gets – it's the cultural shorthand. She knows you never show up empty-handed at a BBQ, that you always wave to thank a driver who lets you in, and that you must take turns shouting rounds of coffees. That’s the difference between localisation and genuine cultural understanding.
Our local Australian team has been central to this journey. Engineers, linguists, and speech scientists have infused Alexa+ with Australian personality, fine-tuning the models and inventing new speech understanding techniques – such as reinforcement learning, accent-neutral speech representations, and regional embeddings.
Australia's diversity is unique – from state rivalries to regional slang and local places, people and events. Our teams are committed to getting it right so that Alexa understands not just what you say, but how you say it.
Alexa+ is built with privacy and security in mind
We designed Alexa+ the same way we approach building any product – with you in mind, to protect your privacy and security, provide you with transparency, and put you in control.
The Alexa Privacy dashboard lets you review and manage your interactions with Alexa+ in one convenient place. You can listen to exactly what Alexa heard, review the attachments you've shared, change how long your voice recordings are stored, and more. Everything is easy to find in the Alexa app and online.
Alexa-enabled devices are also designed with multiple layers of protections – this hasn't changed with Alexa+. You can still expect camera controls and a visual indicator that lets you know when Alexa is listening to your request. To learn more, you can visit the Alexa Privacy Hub.
Is Alexa+ free for Prime members in Australia?
During Early Access, Alexa+ is free for eligible Amazon customers. After Early Access, it will be free for all Prime members, joining benefits like free and fast shipping, exclusive shopping events, Prime Video and Amazon Music. Non-Prime members will be able to get Alexa+ for AU$29.99/month.
Alexa+ Early Access rolls out in Australia today. Customers have two ways to access the new experience. If they purchase a new eligible Echo device, they can opt in. If they already own an eligible device, they can register at Amazon.com.au/newalexa and we will invite them to access the program. We plan to invite thousands of customers to experience the new Alexa+ over the coming weeks.
More than 98% of Alexa customers in Australia have a compatible device with Alexa+. However, the Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max, and Echo Studio are purpose-built for Alexa+, delivering more processing power, memory, and edge-based computing with next-generation sensors.
I'm genuinely excited about bringing Alexa+ to Australia, and can't wait for you to experience it.
¹ Some Ring features require an active Ring subscription
