Six weeks after Amazon made a big splash with the launch of its revamped voice assistant, Alexa+, the company is now facing a puzzling dilemma: where are the users?
Back in February, Amazon hosted a high-profile event in New York to unveil Alexa+, a next-gen voice assistant powered by generative AI. CEO Andy Jassy personally introduced the upgrade, promising smarter conversations and powerful new features. Yet, despite all the hype, real-world user experiences seem to be missing in action.
So far, there’s been little to no public feedback, reviews, or social media buzz from regular customers. A Reuters investigation scoured dozens of websites, including YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and even Amazon’s own platforms like Twitch and Echo product reviews. The result? Practically no verified users or substantial commentary.
Amazon claims “hundreds of thousands” now have access to Alexa+, including employees and early-access customers. But when pressed, the company failed to provide interviews or connect journalists with active users. Interestingly, there are no NDA restrictions preventing people from talking about it—yet no one seems to be talking.
Experts say this could be a sign that Alexa+ isn’t quite ready for prime time. According to anonymous insiders, the AI-enhanced Alexa+ struggles with response speed and sometimes returns inaccurate answers—common challenges with generative AI. It’s also reportedly expensive to run, which may be contributing to the slow rollout.
Tech analyst Avi Greengart, who attended the launch event, noted that the February presentation felt overly controlled. Attendees weren’t allowed to test the product themselves and were instead shown rehearsed demos. This lack of hands-on access raised early red flags. “This feels like a pattern,” Greengart said. “Companies announce services before they’re truly ready, and that last stretch is often longer than expected.”
Marketing experts also criticize Amazon’s approach. Americus Reed of Wharton School said the long delay between the announcement and widespread availability kills user excitement. “They should’ve leaned into influencer marketing and let creators on TikTok and YouTube build anticipation,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Amazon has hyped a product that underdelivered. In September 2023, the company teased an “early preview” of Alexa+ that never materialized. And even though the original Alexa helped normalize voice assistants, Amazon has yet to turn it into a profitable business, despite pouring billions into its development.
The original Echo rollout in 2014 allowed users to test the product and quickly share feedback. But with Alexa+, most customers are still waiting for a turn. Even an anonymous Reddit post that praised the new service has since been deleted, adding to the mystery.
For now, Amazon insists people are “really liking Alexa+,” but without public proof, it’s hard to tell. The new AI assistant promises advanced capabilities like handling multiple requests, placing orders, and tailoring suggestions based on user preferences. But until real users start sharing real stories, Alexa+ remains more rumor than reality.
