Amazon's Alexa+ AI Assistant Is Coming to Your Fire TV for Free, No Subscription Needed
Amazon is pushing its upgraded AI assistant to millions of Fire TV devices automatically. Here is what changes, what stays the same, and whether you can opt out.
Key points
- Amazon announced on Wednesday that Alexa+, its upgraded AI assistant, will roll out free to all compatible Fire TV devices in the United States.
- Alexa+ previously cost $19.99 per month for customers without an Amazon Prime membership.
- Compatible devices include current-generation Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, Amazon Ember smart TVs, and select Hisense and Panasonic televisions with Alexa built in.
- Amazon says Alexa+ users now have nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV as they did with the original Alexa.
- Google and Roku have made similar AI upgrades to their TV platforms in the past year.
Your TV remote is about to get a lot more talkative.
Amazon announced Wednesday that Alexa+, its upgraded AI-powered assistant (an AI assistant is software you talk to that understands natural language, not just simple commands), will be pushed to all compatible Fire TV devices in the United States at no charge. You do not need an Amazon Prime membership to get it, and you do not need to download anything. It arrives automatically.
What actually changes on your TV?
The biggest shift is how you search for things to watch. Instead of asking for a show by its exact title, you can describe what you want in plain English: "a top-rated thriller" or "a historical drama with a strong female lead." Alexa+ tries to match suggestions to your mood or interest, not just your memory of a title.
Beyond browsing, the assistant can also control your smart home from the couch. If you have a Ring doorbell camera, for example, you can ask Alexa+ to pull up the camera feed directly on your TV screen.
Who gets it and when?
The upgrade covers all current-generation Amazon Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, Amazon Ember smart TVs, and smart TVs from Hisense and Panasonic that have Alexa built in. Amazon says the rollout is automatic, so there is nothing for most viewers to do.
Until now, Alexa+ carried a $19.99 monthly fee for anyone without a Prime subscription. Dropping that price to zero significantly widens the potential audience.
| Device | Alexa+ included? |
|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick (current gen) | Yes, free |
| Fire TV Cube | Yes, free |
| Amazon Ember smart TVs | Yes, free |
| Hisense TVs with Alexa built in | Yes, free |
| Panasonic TVs with Alexa built in | Yes, free |
Amazon is not alone here. Google rolled out Gemini, its AI assistant, to Google TV sets earlier this year, replacing basic keyword search with a conversational mode. Roku made a similar move with its voice assistant last year, as TechCrunch AI reported.
Should viewers be worried?
Not exactly worried, but aware. These upgrades arrive whether you ask for them or not. Amazon points to engagement numbers as evidence people enjoy the feature: Alexa+ users reportedly hold nearly twice as many voice conversations on Fire TV as they did with the older Alexa. What that number does not tell you is how many of those conversations are deliberate versus accidental wake-word triggers.
For most people, the practical effect is a more capable search tool on a device they already own, at no extra cost. If you find the voice features annoying, the mute button on your remote still works.
