Rohit Prasad, Amazon's leader in artificial general intelligence, has announced a significant upgrade for Alexa.

This upgrade aims to transform Alexa from performing basic tasks, like setting timers, into a true personal concierge utilizing advanced AI models.

The anticipated Alexa 2.0 is expected to handle more complex tasks reliably, such as making dinner reservations and managing smart home devices.

However, the new AI model may initially respond slower, taking up to ten seconds for queries, which could deter user engagement unless improvements are made.

While generative AI is suitable for casual interactions, its probabilistic nature poses risks for critical functions due to potential inaccuracies.

To maintain Alexa's personality during the upgrade, Amazon is hiring experts to refine her voice and conversational style.

The competitive landscape is heating up, as Google has notably upgraded Google Assistant to Gemini, posing a challenge to Alexa's usage.

Amazon faces stiff competition from major players like Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, and Meta, all pursuing similar advancements in AI assistants.

Prasad described the upgrade as a 'brain transplant,' replacing the old question-answering system with generative AI models.

The upgrade has faced delays due to challenges related to AI 'hallucinations,' where the assistant may provide plausible but incorrect information.

Prasad emphasized the necessity for Alexa to eliminate these hallucinations to be trusted for essential tasks, as inaccuracies can lead to significant issues.