According to PCWorld, Amazon has finally launched a web portal for its AI-enhanced Alexa+ assistant, nearly a year after the service was first announced. The portal, at Alexa.com, is currently available to some early access users and features a familiar chat interface with prompt suggestions and a history sidebar. A key new feature is the ability to upload files like PDFs, Word docs, and text files for analysis, leveraging AI smarts from Anthropic’s Claude. Right now, Alexa+ is free for everyone during its early access period, but Amazon plans to eventually offer it free to Prime members while charging non-Prime users a monthly fee of $19.99.
A Web Portal At Last
Look, it’s about time. For an AI assistant that’s supposed to be super-powered, being trapped on a speaker or in a clunky mobile app was a huge limitation. The new web interface is, frankly, the bare minimum. It lets you do the things you’d expect: chat, review history, and crucially, copy text easily. That last one is a game-changer for actually using Alexa+ for work. Before, asking it to draft an email was almost pointless because getting the text out was a chore. Now you can just click copy. It’s a simple fix, but it makes the tool actually useful.
File Uploads and Missing Pieces
Here’s the thing: the file upload feature is a smart addition. It shows Amazon is thinking about practical use beyond setting kitchen timers. Uploading a config file for tweaks, as the reporter did, is a legitimately handy use case. But the limitations are glaring. No Excel files? In 2024? That’s a bizarre omission for something aimed at being a productivity aid. And the whole ecosystem feels sparse. There are no equivalents to ChatGPT’s custom GPTs or any advanced tools. It’s just… a chatbox. For a company with Amazon’s resources, this feels like a very cautious, maybe even late, first step.
The Looming Subscription Wall
And now we get to the real catch. That $19.99 per month price tag for non-Prime members is going to be a massive barrier. Think about it. For that price, you’re up against ChatGPT Plus and Google Gemini Advanced, which are already more mature, integrated into broader toolkits, and don’t require you to shout across the room. Amazon’s bet seems to be that bundling it with Prime will be its killer feature. But is that enough? If you’re not already deep in the Amazon smart home ecosystem, why would you choose this over the established players? The value proposition gets really fuzzy, really fast.
Is This Enough to Revive Alexa?
So, what’s the bottom line? This web portal is a necessary, table-stakes update. It makes Alexa+ a real contender instead of a novelty. Being able to start a chat on the web and continue it on an Echo speaker is a smooth, genuinely useful trick. But basically, Amazon is playing catch-up in a race that’s already moved on to more advanced features. The future paid model adds another layer of uncertainty. It’s a step forward, for sure. But is it a big enough leap to make people care about Alexa again? I’m skeptical. For more on the hardware that runs these assistants, check out our guide to the best smart speakers.
