Amazon has begun automatically upgrading Prime members to Alexa+, prompting backlash from users who say they had little control over the change.
Alexa+ was first revealed in early 2025 as Amazon’s answer to its conversational AI rivals, designed to use large-scale language models to deliver more natural responses and a wider range of features, with Prime members promised free access.
Automatic upgrades cause stress to users
Prime members in the U.S. are now receiving a notification that Alexa+ is automatically enabled across their Echo devices without requiring any user interaction.
Amazon says the upgrade will only take a few minutes, but many users are frustrated by the lack of an opt-out option before installation, even though they can undo it later by saying, “Alexa, quit Alexa+.”
Some users report that Alexa+ behaves differently than the standard assistant, with a changing tone of voice, longer response times, and occasional difficulty handling basic requests that previously worked reliably.
Some claim that certain features are missing, such as the ability for Alexa devices to read Kindle books aloud, a feature that some users relied on heavily before upgrading.
The change also reignites concerns about ads, with multiple users complaining that Alexa+ introduces more promotional responses compared to the original Assistant experience.
Amazon previously confirmed that Alexa+ would cost non-Prime users $19.99 per month, and the automatic rollout is a fulfillment of its promise to bundle AI upgrades with Prime members.
However, the forced nature of the transition appears to have undermined its value proposition for some customers, especially those who prefer the simple behavior of the original Alexa.
Alexa+ is clearly Amazon’s long-term direction
Despite the criticism, Amazon shows little sign of slowing down its rollout of Alexa+, positioning the assistant as the future foundation of its smart home and AI ecosystem.
The upgraded assistant is already live on the web, and Amazon reiterated that Alexa+’s capabilities will continue to expand as more features are migrated over time.
For now, this rollout is primarily limited to Prime members in the US, with international availability yet to be confirmed and pricing outside the US yet to be detailed.
As Amazon moves forward, its response highlights broader tensions in consumer AI products, where rapid upgrades can clash with user expectations about control, stability and reliability.
Whether Alexa+ ultimately appeals to users may depend less on Alexa+’s intelligence and more on how much choice Amazon gives people in determining how and when that intelligence is delivered.
