The development process of Amazon’s new voice assistant Alexa is taking longer than expected. The company closed access to the beta version of Alexa and announced that the launch date planned for the end of 2024 was postponed one year later.
The new Alexa version, which Amazon plans to introduce in October, will now be introduced in 2025 due to these problems.
New Alexa has problems with basic functions
The new Alexa is known to work with large language models (LLMs). However, this update reportedly caused users to have difficulty performing basic functions. For example, it is stated that the old version has problems performing simple operations (setting a timer or controlling smart lights).
Last summer, it was revealed that Amazon CEO Andy Jassy wanted to work on artificial intelligence-supported updates to increase Alexa’s competitiveness. However, the complexity of Alexa’s development process for these new capabilities made it difficult for the company to meet its set schedule. Even though the new target date has been set, Alexa’s problems still need to be resolved. Some employees within the company stated that the complex management structure had a negative impact.