Amazon Alexa+ Now Has Three New Options to Choose From.
In early February, Amazon officially launched Alexa+ , its new AI-powered voice assistant. Alexa+ is similar to the old Alexa, but with new contextual capabilities. Users can ask complex, multi-part questions, as well as task requests, such as asking Alexa to book concert tickets. If you’ve used voice mode with chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini , you’ll be familiar with the concept—it’s now available on your Echo devices. Amazon now lets you customize the personality of your new voice assistant, offering short, calm, and energetic options.
On Wednesday, Amazon announced “Alexa+ Personality Styles,” a new feature that allows you to customize Alexa’s responses to queries and conversations. At launch, Amazon offers three styles: “Concise,” “Calm,” and “Sweet.” According to Amazon, “Concise” is the choice for users who want shorter, more direct, and more concise responses. It should feature fewer of the flowery phrases typical of chatbots, including small talk and “side conversations.” Chill, on the other hand, aims to be “casual” and “relaxed,” simulating “conversations with a relaxed friend.” Amazon claims that users who add Chill to Alexa+ will notice conversations will be “easy,” and Alexa+ should offer “gentle prompts” when processing queries. Sweet is your “biggest cheerleader”: Amazon claims this bot responds with warmth and enthusiasm, celebrating your successes, encouraging you, and turning “everyday moments into opportunities for positivity.” (I just wanted to check the weather, Alexa.)
You can listen to snippets of each of their speeches on Amazon’s official announcement page or use the embedded tracks below. Amazon has also uploaded SoundCloud links with brief descriptions of each voice, giving you an idea of the three’s style and delivery. First, there’s a short description that simply reads, “Efficient Performance”:
Next comes Chill, which states, “Life is kind to me. All systems are in a state of zen, and the digital universe revolves in harmony.”
Finally, there’s Sweet, who writes, “Simply fantastic. I radiate pure joy and am ready to make your day incredibly wonderful.”
Amazon claims that each of these styles was created based on five core principles: expressiveness, which can be both laconic and verbose; emotional openness, which can be both reserved and enthusiastic; formality, which can be both professional and informal; directness, which can be both diplomatic and blunt; and humor, which can range from subtle wit to outright sarcasm. Each principle has its own ranges that define each style. For example, Amazon says the “Brief” style is concise, informal, and direct with minimal humor, while the “Sweet” style is warmth, emotional expressiveness, informality, and encouragement.
Despite the audio examples above, Amazon won’t force you to use these voices by default. You can choose a new communication style while switching between eight different voice options offered by Amazon.
How to Try Amazon’s New Personality Styles in Alexa
Anyone with Alexa+ access—whether through an Alexa+ or Prime subscription—can try these changes. Amazon says the process of changing your personality style is quite simple: just say, “Alexa, change your personality style.” You can also find these options in the Alexa app. Select the desired device, then go to “Device Settings” > “Alexa Personality Style.”
To change your chosen voice style, go back to your device’s Settings in the Alexa app, then under General, select your voice.