Amazon brings Alexa+ to the web as it takes on ChatGPT and Google Gemini
The browser-based rollout lets users type, upload files, and manage tasks beyond voice commands.
For many people, Alexa has been the voice that sets timers, plays music, and turns on lights. Since its debut in 2014, Alexa has lived mostly in Echo devices and the Alexa app. You’d talk, it would respond, and that was the interaction. But people are now used to doing more with AI, like typing questions, getting written explanations, and analyzing files. That’s where ChatGPT and Google Gemini have raised the bar, and Amazon is taking notice.
Starting this week, Amazon will begin rolling out a web version of its next-generation Alexa+ assistant. For some users, visiting Alexa.com now opens a chatbot-style interface that works in a browser where you can type or upload documents. This move brings Alexa into a space where people already spend hours every day, on browsers and desktops, making the assistant more useful beyond smart home commands.
Louis Eriakha
What exactly can Alexa+ do on the web?
If you’ve used ChatGPT or Gemini, the web version of Alexa+ should feel familiar. A large chat box sits at the center; suggested prompts and responses can be quickly copied. Users can type questions instead of speaking, upload files for analysis, and manage tasks like shopping lists or calendars more easily than on a small device.
A sidebar pulls in chat history from Echo devices, basic smart home controls, and uploaded documents. This lets you continue a conversation seamlessly across devices. Amazon positions the web version as a productivity boost: you can plan trips, draft letters, review documents, create study guides, shop, or analyze files, then quickly reuse the results elsewhere.
The web experience is early-stage. Compared with ChatGPT or Gemini, it lacks advanced tools such as custom bots, creative canvases, or extensive file support. For now, Alexa+ on the web is free during testing. Amazon plans to bundle it with Prime eventually, while charging non-Prime users $20 per month.
Putting Alexa+ on the web is Amazon’s clearest move yet to position its assistant alongside leading AI chatbots, not just as a smart home device. It signals a shift in how people interact with Alexa, from a voice assistant in a speaker to a central AI hub on multiple devices.
While questions remain about how much autonomy Alexa should have, this expansion shows Amazon is serious about competing in the AI space, where typing, analyzing, and multitasking are just as important as talking.
Emmanuel Umahi
