Amazon has officially launched Alexa+ in Australia, introducing the biggest overhaul of its voice assistant since Alexa first arrived locally in 2018. Powered by generative artificial intelligence, the upgraded assistant is designed to hold more natural conversations, remember user preferences and carry out a wider range of everyday tasks.

The rollout begins this week through an Early Access program, with Amazon planning to invite thousands of Australian customers to try the new service over the coming weeks. Owners of eligible Echo devices can register their interest, while those purchasing a compatible new Echo speaker can opt in immediately.

Alexa+ is built on Amazon’s Bedrock large language model platform and marks a shift away from the traditional command-based voice assistant experience. Rather than simply responding to requests, the assistant can now complete more complex tasks, maintain the context of conversations and personalise responses for different members of a household.

Among its new capabilities are restaurant bookings, shopping assistance, calendar management and smart home automation. Alexa+ can also save recipes, recommend gifts, monitor schedules and proactively adjust compatible smart home devices based on changing conditions.

Amazon says Alexa+ has been tailored specifically for Australian users, recognising local slang, sporting references and cultural expressions. The company says its Australian engineering, speech science and linguistics teams played a key role in adapting the assistant to understand the way Australians naturally speak.

Music, entertainment and smart home controls have also been expanded. Alexa+ supports Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and local radio services, while also integrating with Prime Video, Audible and news providers including ABC, Reuters, AAP, The Associated Press and The Guardian. Tripadvisor support is expected to be added in the future.

Shopping has also become more intelligent. Users can ask Alexa+ to compare products, summarise customer reviews, monitor Amazon orders, alert them to price reductions and purchase products after confirming availability and pricing.

The assistant also works more closely with Ring smart home devices. Owners can ask whether packages have been delivered, with Alexa+ analysing Ring camera footage to identify deliveries.

Amazon has also introduced voice-created smart home routines, allowing users to create automations without opening the Alexa app. The assistant can move music between Echo devices as users walk through their home and respond to more conversational commands, such as turning on lights when someone simply remarks that the room is dark.

Personalisation is another major focus. Alexa+ can recognise individual household members using voice and visual identification, remember favourite music, dietary preferences and routines, and tailor recommendations accordingly.

Amazon says privacy controls remain unchanged despite the addition of generative AI features. Users can continue to review voice recordings, manage stored interactions and control privacy settings through the Alexa Privacy Dashboard.

Alexa+ is free during the Early Access period for eligible Australian customers. Once the rollout is complete, the service will be included at no extra cost with Amazon Prime memberships. Customers without Prime will be able to subscribe for $29.99 per month.

Amazon says more than 98 per cent of Alexa users in Australia already own compatible devices, although newer models including the Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio have been specifically designed to take full advantage of Alexa+’s enhanced processing capabilities.