I beloved my Amazon Echo however I barely use it anymore. What occurred?
When Amazon first launched the Echo good residence speaker and the Alexa voice assistant, I used to be excited past perception. It felt like a real evolution in tech, one thing straight out of the science fiction from previous many years. Right here it was, an actual product you might purchase and personal.
Certain, the Echo itself was ostensibly only a speaker, however the Alexa ecosystem underpinning it made it a lot greater than that. It was good, it was useful, and it was a step in the precise course for forward-thinking folks eager to construct a sensible residence.
However now, a decade on from its launch, it feels just like the Alexa platform has run out of steam. I used to make use of my Echo on a regular basis, however not anymore. Right here’s what occurred and what may get me again.
I used to be an Alexa early adopter
The primary Echo speaker I purchased was the tall, plasticky, first-generation mannequin that got here to the UK in 2016. I then purchased a second-generation mannequin for my workplace a yr later. Lastly, I obtained an Echo Studio as a Christmas present in 2019, which took pleasure of place in my front room and relegated the unique Echo to my bed room.
Through the years, I’ve used my Echo audio system for all types of stuff. The primary one has at all times been listening to music, particularly through the COVID lockdowns after I was confined to my home for lengthy durations. With the ability to ask Alexa to stream (or change) songs on Spotify by merely uttering a command was a godsend. It actually helped cross the time.
However I’ve additionally used Alexa to convey climate forecasts for the week forward, give me rundowns of stories headlines of the day, clarify the meanings of phrases and ideas, reply easy off-hand questions that pop into my head, and even play video games each now and again.
Dave Parrack / Foundry
And it’s not like I’m a full-blown good residence geek! I beloved the concept of a sensible residence however by no means totally embraced the idea, but even I acquired to do cool stuff with some good mild bulbs controllable through Alexa. For instance, I programmed them to return on at particular instances of day all year long. Yeah, I acquired quite a lot of use out of my Echo gadgets.
I’m utilizing Alexa and my Echo audio system much less
As of late, I actually solely use my Echo audio system to pay attention to speak radio (through TuneIn) and music (through Spotify Premium). All the opposite novelty stuff progressively misplaced their luster and fell by the wayside.
The most important motive for this has been the arrival of generative AI and the velocity at which it has advanced in only a few quick years. LLMs like ChatGPT make Alexa really feel boring and restricted by comparability. I can ask ChatGPT just about something I would like and it’ll have a solution—a solution that is probably not completely appropriate and wishes double-checking, however more often than not it’s correct sufficient to cross. I can maintain full back-and-forth conversations with AI in ways in which would make Alexa jealous.
I’ve written a number of articles about alternative ways to make use of ChatGPT, together with mundane duties ChatGPT can deal with for you and enjoyable issues you are able to do with ChatGPT while you’re bored. My colleagues have additionally written about utilizing ChatGPT to enhance your life and different sensible makes use of for it.
Dave Parrack / Foundry
I’ve additionally grown extra involved over the privateness implications of an always-on and always-listening good speaker in each room of my residence. Whereas Amazon needs to guarantee us that Alexa is barely listening for its wake phrase, it’s exhausting to shake that unsettling feeling. And if you happen to examine your voice command historical past within the Alexa app, chances are you’ll be stunned at a few of the issues it has picked up through the years. (That’s what truly led me to mute the microphones on my Echo gadgets till I want them.)
General, I merely discover that my Echo audio system and Alexa are actually overshadowed by different choices. The place I used to be as soon as excited to discover new Alexa expertise and options, I now simply default to utilizing it for the boring fundamentals as I’ve at all times performed. I can’t even bear in mind the final time I cared to hunt out a brand new Alexa ability to put in and use.
Will AI make Alexa related once more?
I’m unconvinced that Amazon will be capable to deliver Alexa and its Echo vary again to the place they as soon as had been. Certain, thousands and thousands of individuals personal one (or extra) and have them plugged in someplace at residence. However I think that, like me, many individuals have stopped utilizing Alexa.
Amazon’s subsequent large hope is Alexa+, the next-generation AI-powered model of Alexa that was introduced in February 2025. At present in Early Entry, it guarantees to be much more like ChatGPT and different LLMs: extra conversational interactions, customized recollections which might be retained throughout gadgets, extra context consciousness, with larger ambitions than the primary (and present) iteration of Alexa. Ben Patterson acquired to strive Alexa+ and got here out with blended takeaways.
Alexa+ is slated to price $19.99/month and shall be appropriate with most Echo gadgets past first-generation fashions. Or, if in case you have Amazon Prime, Alexa+ shall be included as a “free” perk, giving present subscribers but one more reason to maintain paying for the service.
Amazon
Amazon’s Echo line continues to be the most well-liked good speaker model within the US and elsewhere, so these gadgets aren’t going wherever. However since Amazon doesn’t share gross sales figures for its merchandise, we don’t know the way it’s trending. Amazon should be transferring loads of items, however are consumers even utilizing Echo for Alexa and good residence controls? Or just as good audio system? (They’re admittedly fairly good because the latter.)
As for me, I’m cautiously hopeful. My Echo gadgets are largely gathering mud now, they usually’ll stay that means till the entire Alexa ecosystem is upgraded. I ponder if Alexa+ shall be that improve? I gained’t be capable to discover out till it leaves Early Entry. Till then, Alexa simply isn’t succesful sufficient… and the privateness considerations are actual.
Additional studying: Alexa’s large AI makeover: 8 key issues to know
