Amazon is quietly upgrading many Prime households to Alexa+, its next-gen conversational assistant, and the surprise switch is sparking complaints from users who say they were never asked to opt in. While the upgrade is free for Prime members and reversible, the automatic rollout underscores a broader tension over defaults in AI products and how much control consumers expect over voice assistants sitting in their kitchens and bedrooms.
What Amazon Is Rolling Out with the Alexa+ Upgrade
Alexa+ is Amazon’s more natural, generative AI version of Alexa, designed to interpret longer, messier requests, remember context across turns, and complete multi-step tasks. The company described it as a more conversational experience that can take initiative to help with things like shopping lists, smart home routines, and information lookups.
Screenshots shared by users on Reddit and noted by The Verge show in-app notices telling Prime members their devices will be updated to the “new, conversational” Alexa experience with no action required. The promise: a quick, free upgrade that lands across Echo devices tied to the account.
Why Some Users Are Pushing Back on Alexa+ Defaults
The friction isn’t about price; it’s about consent and control. Several users say the assistant’s tone changed and began chiming in more often, including responding to casual remarks not addressed to “Alexa.” Others argue the change should have been opt-in, especially for homes with kids, guests, or accessibility needs where consistency matters.
There’s also a trust dimension. Voice assistants already face heightened scrutiny because they’re always listening for a wake word. Pushing a major behavioral update by default—especially one that feels “chattier”—can come across as Amazon prioritizing adoption metrics over user comfort.
How to Switch Back or Avoid the Alexa+ Upgrade
For now, the simplest path is a voice command: say “Alexa, exit Alexa+” to revert to the original experience. Users report this works on a device-by-device basis. Some Reddit threads suggest changing the device language to Canadian English prevents the upgrade, though that’s an unofficial workaround and may affect other features.
If the new experience returns after a reboot or account change, repeat the command on that device. Amazon has not broadly communicated a permanent account-level setting to lock in the classic experience, which is a key reason the rollout is drawing criticism.
What Alexa+ Changes in Behavior and Capabilities
Under the hood, Alexa+ taps a large language model to handle follow-ups without repeating context, interpret intent from more casual phrasing, and stitch together actions across skills and services. In practical terms, that can mean asking for “something light for dinner” and getting a meal suggestion, a timer, and a grocery add all in one flow—with fewer rigid commands.
Amazon has also extended Alexa+ beyond hardware with a dedicated web chat experience. Like leading chatbots, it lets users type or speak queries and receive rich responses, hinting at a future where Alexa is both a voice and text assistant across devices.
Why Amazon’s Alexa+ Rollout Strategy Matters Now
Defaults drive adoption. Behavioral researchers have long shown that opt-out designs dramatically increase usage versus opt-in, which explains why tech companies lean on automatic upgrades to showcase new AI features. But voice assistants carry special expectations: changes to responsiveness, tone, and initiative directly affect how a home “feels.”
There are competitive stakes, too. Insider Intelligence estimates Amazon still serves roughly 60% of U.S. smart speaker users, but that lead is meaningful only if users trust updates. Overly aggressive rollouts can backfire, prompting households to mute mics, disable features, or switch ecosystems.
Regulators are watching default settings and so-called dark patterns. Consumer groups in the U.S. and EU have pressed platforms to make meaningful consent the norm for significant changes in data collection or functionality. If Alexa+ alters how and when the assistant engages, clear, upfront choices will matter in privacy-conscious markets.
The Bottom Line on Amazon’s Auto Alexa+ Upgrade
Alexa+ aims to make Alexa smarter and more helpful, and for many Prime members, the upgrade will be welcome. But Amazon’s decision to auto-enable it—without an obvious account-wide opt-in or opt-out—has created avoidable friction. If Amazon wants households to embrace a more proactive assistant, it may need to lead with choice and transparency, not just convenience.
Until a clearer setting appears, the practical advice is simple: try the new experience, and if it’s not for you, say “Alexa, exit Alexa+.” Then watch for Amazon to clarify how to keep either version as the household default.
