Tomorrow, we’re going to in the end see Amazon’s (previously delayed) Alexa improve, at an tournament the place Amazon is anticipated to announce generative AI functions for the voice assistant, permitting Alexa to grasp herbal language extra simply and cling complete conversations with customers, amongst different possible tips. As our shopper tech creator Samantha Kelly famous, “If introduced, this is able to mark Alexa’s most vital evolution since its debut in 2014.”
A up to date CNET survey discovered, alternatively, that buyers have agree with problems with smarter good house gadgets. Over 2,000 US adults had been requested questions on how they really feel about voice assistants in gadgets like Amazon Echo.
Key findings of CNET’s house voice assistant survey
- Home voice assistant utilization: Half of US adults (50%) have used a house voice assistant this yr (since Jan. 1). Amazon Alexa is the preferred amongst US adults (27%).
- AI: Nearly 3 in 4 (73%) house voice assistant customers have privateness issues about AI integrations on good house voice assistants and greater than part (56%) would no longer be keen to pay an additional subscription rate for added AI options.
- Trust: Trust round AI options relatively differs through logo amongst all US respondents, with Amazon (Alexa) being essentially the most depended on (27%). Gen Z (61%) and millennials (56%) are essentially the most trusting of manufacturers relating to AI in voice assistants.
- Features: Among those who have used a voice assistant to this point this yr, “ask a handy guide a rough query” is the commonest capability (64%), adopted through audio system, track and leisure (49%), set timers (42%), set reminders (36%) and make calls to others (29%).
How will Amazon’s Alexa maintain shopper resistance to AI and good house? We may see new variations of Alexa Emergency Assist, a brand new strategy to Alexa Skills, extra good house integrations — and even (hands crossed) new Amazon Echo gadgets. Our previous protection famous that experiences display that Amazon is excited about charging customers a subscription for those new options, which, consistent with our survey, greater than part of survey respondents stated they wouldn’t pay the rest additional for it.
The corporate is holding main points of the announcement a secret for now. But we’re going to dive deeper to what our shopper survey discovered and what all of it approach for Amazon’s tournament on Feb. 26 and Apple’s anticipated jump into the good house international later this yr.
Home voice assistant customers like Alexa, however festival is fierce
Amazon begins Alexa’s revival forward within the numbers, however no longer through a lot. Around part of US adults have used a house voice assistant since Jan. 1, and Alexa ranked on the most sensible with 27% reporting they activated the voice assistant. Apple’s Siri wasn’t a ways at the back of at 21%, with Google Assistant/Gemini in 3rd at $18%.
Those numbers opposite just a little when taking a look most effective at Gen Z adults. While millennials and Gen X choose Alexa, Gen Z (at 27%) has a slight choice for Apple’s rapid Siri, which could also be set for AI upgrades this spring. That signifies Alexa will have some catch-up paintings to do if it desires to attraction to a more youthful crowd.
But when was once the closing time you used a voice assistant for one thing advanced within the first position? If you are like our surveyed customers, you most likely stick with easy duties: The maximum not unusual task for US adults was once asking a handy guide a rough query, adopted through enjoying track or leisure and environment timers and reminders. Using good house instructions was once farther down the checklist, with most effective 23% of other people announcing that they had ever managed a wise house with voice assistants.
That is one thing Amazon desires to switch. Much like Google’s Gemini divulge, we think Amazon to concentrate on extra advanced use instances, encouraging Alexa customers to carry longer conversations, whole extra advanced duties or house routines — and most likely store extra simply on Amazon. That brings up a subject on privateness our survey discovered.
Privacy fears stay with AI, and further charges are an issue for customers
Overall, other people are not certain what to make of extra AI. When we requested other people if they would use a voice assistant extra steadily with new AI options, the easiest reaction was once “meh” with 34% neither agreeing or disagreeing with the theory. Only 34% of energetic customers reported pastime in the use of voice assistants extra in the event that they were given intelligence upgrades.
In excellent information for Amazon, voice assistant customers additionally depended on Alexa and Amazon essentially the most when it got here to AI (27%) adopted through Apple Siri (24%) and Google Assistant (23%) juggling for 2nd position. But 50% of respondents stated they did not agree with house voice assistants in any respect, and a blended 73% had been occupied with privateness dangers when the use of AI options.
Those are tricky hurdles for Amazon to leap with the following day’s tournament. Depending on what the corporate proclaims, it can be nervous through some other statistic: Only 23% of adults stated they would pay a rate for extra AI options in voice assistants, whilst 56% stated they wouldn’t pay the rest additional. That does not bode neatly for an Alexa AI subscription except it could actually turn out price past a glorified integration with Amazon Prime.
CNET will probably be provide at Amazon’s announcement to listen to and notice precisely what they have got thoughts and what Panos Panay, head of Amazon’s Devices and Services crew, has to mention, so be expecting extra information quickly. When Alexa’s AI options hit, we’re going to practice up with a whole lot of assessments and effects as neatly.
Until then, we are very curious how Amazon can differentiate Alexa’s AI upgrades with what Google has proven with Gemini and what Apple plans with Siri — and simply how targeted they’re on making Alexa a money-printing device. Stop through the following day to determine.
Survey method
All figures, except in a different way mentioned, are from YouGov Plc. Total pattern dimension was once 2,376 adults, of which 1,308 have used a house voice assistant since Jan. 1, 2025. Fieldwork was once undertaken Feb. 18 to twenty, 2025. The survey was once performed on-line. The figures had been weighted and are consultant of all US adults (elderly 18-plus).
Source: www.cnet.com
