- Alexa AI latency issues are a “vital problem”
- Leaked memo claims Alexa AI has missed three 2024 launch dates
- Amazon needs to present Alexa supercharged expertise
Generative AI updates from Google and Apple have made their synthetic assistants extra helpful in quite a lot of methods – giving them new options, and usually making them simpler to instruct – however one massive identify within the sensible assistant world has been noticeably absent from the improve record: Alexa. Amazon is reportedly engaged on rolling out an Alexa AI, but it surely’s simply too sluggish to answer queries to be launched but.
Fortune has shared leaked inside paperwork highlighting a couple of vital flaws with Alexa, with the large one apparently being latency – the AI takes method too lengthy to reply when given an instruction or requested a query.
This problem has reportedly led to low satisfaction scores from testers. Earlier than launch Amazon reportedly needed to realize a median satisfaction rating of 5.5 out of seven, however testers rated the AI service at simply 4.57. For this reason it seems Amazon has missed its three goal launch dates in 2024 – the latest being November 14.
One other concern, not one not labeled a “vital problem” like latency however nonetheless a priority, is that the Alexa AI could also be incompatible with some older fashions which might drive quite a lot of customers to improve their tech to entry the brand new AI. Admittedly, this isn’t a significant shock on condition that for a lot of telephones solely the most recent fashions are getting some AI enhancements, however Amazon would possibly concern it’ll upset clients who’ve been wanting this type of replace for years solely to overlook out when their ‘sensible’ assistant lastly will get a mind.
One factor that’s noticeably absent from the leaked memo is any point out of Claude AI. Athropic’s Claude is seen as one of many finest ChatGPT alternate options but it surely lacks a voice mode; a partnership with Amazon when it was teased by leakers subsequently made quite a lot of sense as it could give Amazon a leg up within the AI race and Anthropic help in educating Claude to speak with a voice.
It might imply the Claude leak was false, or maybe the partnership was selected after this memo was printed as a method to resolve the difficulty. Both method it highlights that as with all leaks these particulars ought to be taken with a pinch of salt; as such points comparable to Alexa AI’s latency may very well be in a significantly better state now than when the memo was written.
Educating an outdated Alexa new Abilities
Past Alexa AI delays, the leak additionally teases upgrades to Alexa providers involving Amazon’s companions like GrubHub, Ticketmaster and Uber (through Enterprise Insider, behind a paywall). Whereas these providers already had Alexa expertise Amazon needs to change their relationship with the sensible assistant.
Particularly it needs its AI enhanced Alexa to carry out extra of the duty itself, quite than handing issues over to a third-party app in your telephone because it does with some expertise. So you may instruct the sensible speaker to name you a trip to the film theatre, or reorder that takeout you had final week and it might – utilizing knowledge out of your linked accounts – carry out these duties for you with none handbook enter from you.
It’s definitely an intriguing concept, however this technique’s success will come down as to whether customers belief the AI to get their request fully proper, and belief it to not by chance reorder a takeout due to one thing it overhears out of your TV. It’s one factor for Alexa to play the fallacious track, it’s one other factor fully if it spends your cash on the fallacious factor.
We’ll have to attend and see what Alexa AI has in retailer for us when it will definitely launches. All indicators level to a 2025 launch, that’s assuming it doesn’t face any extra bumps within the street.
