Amazon’s attempt to revamp Alexa with generative AI has been plagued by delays, technical issues, and concerns about user experience. The company had initially planned to launch an advanced AI-powered version of Alexa in 2024, but issues such as hallucinations (AI-generated false responses), slow response times, and compatibility problems have pushed the release into 2025.
One major obstacle is integrating the new AI models with Alexa’s older technology. Alexa’s foundation comes from Evi, a company Amazon acquired in 2012, and the challenge of merging its traditional rule-based system with modern large language models (LLMs) has caused setbacks. Some tests on older Echo devices have shown latency times of up to 10 seconds—far beyond the company’s target of 2 to 4 seconds. This has led Amazon to consider restricting the new AI features to newer Echo devices, but that risks alienating millions of users with older hardware.
Additionally, Amazon has scheduled a crucial “Go/No-go” meeting on February 14, where executives will decide if the new AI-powered Alexa is ready for release. The official announcement is expected at an Alexa-focused event on February 26 in New York.
Siri’s AI Delays
Apple’s Siri, once the pioneer of voice assistants, is also struggling to keep up with modern AI advancements. While Apple has been working on upgrading Siri with generative AI, its progress has been slow. Google has already begun phasing out Google Assistant in favor of Gemini AI, leaving Siri as the only major voice assistant that hasn’t yet received a significant AI boost.
Apple is expected to reveal more about its AI plans for Siri at WWDC 2025, but so far, users have noticed little improvement in Siri’s capabilities compared to the competition. The challenge for Apple lies in balancing privacy concerns with AI performance, as Apple prioritizes on-device processing rather than cloud-based AI like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Amazon’s upcoming Alexa upgrade.
What’s Next?
Despite the delays, both Amazon and Apple remain committed to making their AI assistants more intelligent and useful. Amazon’s Alexa revamp is expected to introduce features such as multi-step conversations, the ability to act as an “agent” for users, and potential subscription-based services. However, technical challenges and competition from OpenAI, Google, and other AI startups mean Alexa and Siri must evolve quickly to stay relevant in the AI race.