Exclusive Access: Alexa Plus Website Goes Live for Selected Users

The New Alexa Plus Web Interface: A Closer Look

Recently, some users have reported that the Alexa.com website is live, showcasing the new Alexa Plus web interface. This browser-based platform was first introduced at the Alexa Plus launch event in February. Previously, Alexa.com simply redirected to an information page, but now users, including myself, are starting to see the revamped digital voice assistant in action.

Upon entering Alexa.com into my web browser, I was greeted with a page resembling the Alexa Plus chatbot found in the Alexa app. This interface, set against a large blue-and-white screen, featured a welcoming “Hello Jen, how can I help?” prompt above a text box. Options to upload files and access drop-down menus for various functions like Plan, Learn, Create, Shop, and Find were prominently displayed.

These menus offer prebuilt prompts that guide users through the chatbot interface, allowing actions like “Plan for my next getaway,” “Create a study guide for my exam,” “Shop trending products,” and “Book a table for a restaurant.” At the bottom of the chatbot, a small disclaimer reminds users that “Alexa may not always get it right.”

On the left side of the screen, a toolbar provides shortcuts to recent chats, smart home controls, calendar, Alexa lists, reminders, tasks, and a files section. This files section allows users to access uploaded files, photos, and emails sent through Alexa Plus—features that come with the new assistant.

Users can easily interact with Alexa Plus through this web interface, providing a more convenient way to engage with Alexa features using a keyboard and a larger screen. This interface seems like a significant improvement over the app, which some users find clunky. The previous Alexa web interface, discontinued in 2022, offered functionalities like bulk deletion of smart home devices that users have missed.

The introduction of the web interface aims to integrate Alexa Plus more seamlessly into users’ daily routines. Features like controlling smart home devices and managing shopping lists with a few clicks on a desktop could prove to be very useful.

Amazon’s move towards making Alexa Plus a ubiquitous AI assistant, competing with platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, is evident in this new web interface. Initial impressions suggest that this is a promising start.

Access to Alexa.com is currently limited to a select group of users and requires participation in the early access program for Alexa Plus, which is available to Prime members and will also be offered through a $19.99-a-month subscription.

Screenshots by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge