Amazon has made two significant moves in the artificial intelligence space, launching its next-generation Alexa+ assistant to all U.S. consumers and announcing a critical beta phase for proprietary AI film production tools. The dual announcements signal a major push by the tech giant to integrate advanced AI across both consumer and creative industries.
The nationwide launch of Alexa+, announced on October 13, 2025, marks Amazon's definitive entry into the generative AI assistant arena. The assistant represents a fundamental architectural shift, leveraging a model-agnostic system that dynamically uses Amazon's proprietary foundation models and select third-party AI technologies. This allows Alexa+ to select the best AI for any task, enabling complex, conversational interactions.
Key to the rollout is its pricing and access model. Amazon Prime members receive unlimited access to Alexa+ at no additional cost, effectively making it a value-add for the subscription bundle. Non-Prime users can access a limited version for free via web and mobile apps, or pay $19.99 per month for full, standalone access. Daniel Rausch, Vice President of Alexa and Echo at Amazon, stated, "We have tens of millions of customers using Alexa+ now, and we're making it available to all Prime members."
The core advancement is Alexa+'s "agentic" capabilities, allowing it to autonomously execute multi-step tasks across services like Expedia, OpenTable, Uber, and Ticketmaster through a single conversation. Data from the beta period shows users who upgraded are having two to three times more conversations, with music streaming increasing by 25%. The opt-out rate to revert to the classic Alexa remains "in the low single digits."
Separately, Amazon MGM Studios is preparing to launch a closed beta program in March 2026 for its internally developed AI film production tools. The initiative, stemming from a dedicated AI Studio established in summer 2025, aims to streamline workflows in areas like character consistency, pre-production, post-production, and visual effects. The company plans to share initial outcomes from the beta by May 2026.
The development is guided by an advisory team including Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg, actor Kunal Nayyar, and former Pixar animator Colin Brady. Albert Cheng, head of the AI Studios initiative, emphasized the goal is "to support creative teams rather than replace them," focusing on efficiency and cost reduction while implementing safeguards to protect intellectual property.
This move occurs amid Hollywood's complex relationship with AI. The industry has seen implementations like Netflix using AI for a building collapse scene in "The Eternaut" and Amazon's own "House of David" series, which featured 350 AI-generated shots in its second season. Amazon's approach is distinguished by vertical integration, controlling both content production and technological development.
