Amazon announced on Tuesday that its upgraded AI assistant, Alexa+, is now available within the Amazon Music app for both iOS and Android devices. This feature is currently accessible across all Amazon Music subscription plans, but only for users who have Alexa+ Early Access. To use Alexa+, you can tap the “a” button in the lower right corner of the app and ask your question using your phone’s built-in microphone.
The introduction of Alexa+ to Amazon Music aims to create a more conversational approach to discovering music. Unlike the previous version of Alexa that responded only to basic commands, Alexa+ is designed to engage in natural dialogue. Users can ask specific and obscure questions, such as queries about an artist’s influences or the deeper meanings behind songs. It can also help you recall a song’s title if you provide a lyric you remember or mention the movie where you heard it.
Additionally, Alexa+ can create personalized playlists based on detailed requests. For example, you could ask it to make a playlist of 2010s hits that keep you moving fast, starting with a track from Nicki Minaj. The company provided other examples of possible questions, such as asking for music recommendations to seem cool to a teenager or inquiring about the song that plays during the opening credits of “The Sopranos.”
Alexa+ was first announced in February at the company’s hardware event. It is positioned as one of the first consumer-focused agent tools available on the market. This assistant can perform actions on a user’s behalf, such as booking restaurant reservations and ordering groceries.
While Alexa+ is still in its early stages and not yet widely available to the public, it has already been rolled out to more than a million users. The company reports that Amazon Music listeners who have tried the feature are exploring songs three times more with Alexa+ than with the original assistant. Those seeking music recommendations are listening to nearly 70 percent more music.
This move could be a strategic effort by Amazon to compete with music streaming rivals, particularly in light of Spotify’s recent integration with ChatGPT. Amazon Music has already incorporated numerous AI features into its app, including weekly AI-generated playlists, AI-assisted search, and a feature called “Explore” which helps users learn more about their favorite artists.