Amazon forces automatic upgrade to Alexa+ for Prime members, sparking user backlash

Amazon Pushes Automatic Upgrade to All Prime Members

Amazon has started automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+, its generative AI-powered version of the voice assistant, without requiring user consent. Over the past few weeks, users on Reddit have reported receiving device notifications stating that the upgrade "takes just a few minutes and won't require any action from you" 1

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. The LLM-powered version of its voice assistant represents a significant overhaul designed to help Amazon compete with rivals like Google Gemini and ChatGPT. While Prime members receive Alexa+ at no additional cost, non-subscribers face a $19.99 monthly fee 2

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The mandatory update has no opt-in mechanism, though Amazon does allow users to revert to the original Alexa by simply saying "Alexa, exit Alexa+" 1

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. This non-consensual upgrade approach has triggered significant user dissatisfaction across online communities, with many questioning why they weren't given a choice before the rollout began.

User Complaints Mount Over Performance and Behavior Changes

The automatic rollout has exposed a range of issues that users find problematic. Many report slower response times when issuing queries to the updated smart assistant, with Alexa+ taking noticeably longer to generate answers compared to its predecessor 1

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. User complaints extend beyond performance metrics to include the assistant's altered voice and personality. One Redditor described the new version as "a salty b***h with a serious attitude problem," preferring the original despite its slower processing 2

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Another user reported that "despite the fact that I repeatedly told it to not enable Alexa+, I woke up one morning to it being enabled and the voice was different. It's quite unnerving that it did so without my permission" 2

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. The lack of consent has become a central theme in user feedback, with one Reddit post declaring "war has been declared" against Amazon's approach 2

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Ads and Missing Features Drive Users Away

Beyond performance issues, users report an influx of ads promoting Alexa+ that becomes particularly aggressive when they attempt to opt-out. One user stated that after turning off the updated assistant, they got "flooded with ads" until they re-enabled it 1

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. This advertising strategy has frustrated users who simply want to use the original voice assistant without constant promotional interruptions.

Missing functionality compounds these concerns. Users have discovered that Alexa+ cannot perform certain tasks that the standard version handles easily, such as reading Kindle books aloud 4

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. These gaps in capability suggest that despite being powered by a large language model, the upgraded assistant hasn't achieved feature parity with its predecessor. The situation mirrors challenges faced by competitors, as Google's Gemini update for Google Home has encountered similar problems, including misidentifying objects and hallucinating camera activity 1

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Beta Testing Reality Meets User Expectations

The controversy highlights a fundamental tension between AI technology development and user expectations. Alexa+ remains in Early Access, meaning all current users are effectively participating in beta testing 3

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. Some users have embraced this reality, viewing the experience as an opportunity to understand how AI technology works and evolves. "I love the change! I can finally get answers to questions," said one user, praising the improved conversational abilities and smart home integration 3

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Others have found practical applications that showcase Alexa+'s strengths. One user described using the assistant in their art studio, while another praised its contextual awareness when following a recipe: "I could just ask things like 'How much flour? How many eggs?' and it kept up and walked me through the whole recipe" 3

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. These positive experiences suggest the upgrade delivers value for users who prioritize natural language interactions and enhanced search functions over consistency with the previous version.

Amazon has stated that Alexa+ is supported on 97% of all devices the company has ever shipped 2

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, indicating the scale of this transition. The company recently launched Alexa+ on the web and is bringing the smart assistant to electric vehicles and home appliances 3

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. For companies investing heavily in AI technology, forcing upgrades appears to be standard practice, regardless of whether users want these features. As one analysis noted, "companies tend not to care whether people want their new AI features, especially after plowing millions or billions into these technologies" 2

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. Prime subscribers should prepare for these changes as Amazon clearly views Alexa+ as the future of its voice assistant platform.