HIGHLIGHTS

Users of Echo devices who choose to turn off voice recording will forfeit access to Alexa’s Voice ID capability.

Amazon asserts that voice recordings will be encrypted and discarded post-processing unless users elect to keep them.

Alexa+ will be complimentary for Prime members or can be accessed for $19.99 per month in the United States.

The recent announcement surrounding Amazon’s Alexa+ has stirred a mixture of excitement and apprehension among Echo device users. A significant concern that has emerged is the issue of privacy, as users face a dilemma: either permit Amazon to retain their voice recordings or miss out on essential features. This shift follows Amazon’s revelation that starting March 28, it will automatically transfer recordings of all Alexa commands to its cloud servers, regardless of prior user preferences regarding voice data sharing.

According to communications sent out to users who have the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” option activated, the company stated that this change is necessary to leverage the advanced features enabled by the secure infrastructure of Amazon’s cloud. Consequently, users opting out of recording storage will no longer have access to Alexa’s Voice ID, an essential component that tailors the device’s functionality to individual users.

To elaborate, Voice ID makes it possible for Alexa to offer customized services such as tailored calendar reminders, music preferences, and even specific home automation commands. In earlier statements, Amazon cautioned that disabling voice recording would affect the functionality of Voice ID. However, after the implementation date of March 28, any user who opts to not share their recordings will completely lose access to this feature.

In addressing the privacy issues tied to this announcement, Amazon reassured users that all voice recordings would undergo encryption during transit and would typically be deleted after processing. However, users will have the choice to keep recordings should they wish. Furthermore, the company has encouraged its customers to actively manage their privacy settings, either through the Alexa mobile app or via an online dashboard, offering a sense of control over their data.

This isn’t the first instance where Amazon’s practices regarding user privacy have raised eyebrows. Reports from earlier this year indicated that the company paid a hefty $25 million civil penalty for the indefinite storage of children’s voice recordings, raising significant ethical concerns. Additionally, an investigation in 2019 revealed that Amazon employees were listening to up to 1,000 audio samples captured by Alexa during their shifts to refine speech recognition, intensifying worries surrounding user privacy and data security.

Despite these controversial developments, Alexa+ appears to be a strategic initiative aimed at refreshing Amazon’s voice assistant business model. For existing Echo users, the standard version of Alexa will remain available at no cost, providing an option for those not interested in the new features. Alexa+ is set to be freely accessible to Amazon Prime subscribers or can be availed as a standalone subscription at $19.99 per month. Presently, this service is being rolled out specifically to users in the United States.