Alexa Plus is getting an AI update to handle more complex instructions

Amazon is launching an update to its Alexa Plus assistant that will allow it to connect to smart home devices in new ways. with Updatewhich is currently in preview, Alexa Plus can link to technology from Bosch, Delta, Ecovacs, iRobot, Yale Home, Whirlpool, Tapo, Eufy and others, while automatically routing requests to the right device.

In an example shared by Amazon, someone with a sponsored washing machine can say, “Alexa, my child’s soccer jersey could use a deep clean, but the tag says cold wash only.” From there, Alexa Plus cycles through the washer’s cycle options and chooses the correct setting. The new integrations are powered by Amazon’s new AI Developer Toolkit, which should make it easier for device makers to connect to Alexa Plus, “including those with unique capabilities not previously supported.”

But Amazon is trying to change this by adopting the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open source standard that allows AI models to communicate with external systems and tools. This will give more brands the ability to interact with Alexa Plus, with Canva, Headspace, Priceline, Lyft, Cengage, Virgin Atlantic, Weekend and other companies launching integrations later this year.

For example, Priceline will give customers the ability to browse hotel options and book a flight directly through Alexa Plus. Priceline, along with Atom Tickets, Cengage, Fandango, and Taskrabbit, will support payments through Amazon Wallet as well.