As the holiday shopping season ramps up, Amazon is looking to get an edge over its competition in the consumer AI space by adding new generative AI features to Alexa, its cross-platform, cross-device digital assistant. The ecommerce and tech giant announced Explore with Alexa on Wednesday, which is aimed specifically at kids. Explore with Alexa is designed to give more personalized and age-appropriate responses to questions from children. The company told Decrypt that it would be included with the Amazon Kids+ monthly subscription and be accessible on any Amazon Echo device with a child profile. When kids ask Alexa about animals and nature, Amazon said the new Explore with Alexa will respond with fun facts and trivia questions. These responses are adapted from “trusted sources” like the World Wildlife Fund and A-Z Animals, according to the company.
Amazon has invested heavily in generative AI technology, including a $4 billion investment in OpenAI rival Anthropic, creator of Claude AI. In September, the e-commerce giant unveiled a host of new AI-powered products , including additions to its line of smart home products. Adapting generative AI to kids has been a touchy subject, however, and watchdog groups and policymakers are wary of any technology that’s accessible to minors. Amazon has clarified that customers can opt out of sharing their data with the company.
Amazon is investing in AI technology to add features to Alexa that will give more personalized and age-appropriate responses to questions from children. This could help Amazon gain an edge over its competition in the consumer AI space. While this could be beneficial for children who want to learn more about animals and nature, there are still worries about how AI model data is collected, where it is stored, and who has access to it. #AmazonAlexa #AI #GenerativeAI #KidsEducation
You can read more about this topic here: Decrypt: Amazon Takes on AI Rivals with Child-Friendly Alexa Features
