Amazon is bringing AI powered podcasts to US users of Alexa+, the next generation version of its popular voice assistant which is available on its Echo and Fire TV products.
The retailer has partnered with leading outlets and publishers including the Associated Press, Reuters, the Washington Post, Condé Nast and Hearst, to allow Alexa+ to generate “accurate” podcasts on any topic the user requests.
Describing the new feature, Amazon says: “Creating custom audio content is now effortless. No documents to upload, no prep work needed, just tell Alexa what topic you’re curious about, and it does the rest in minutes.
“Alexa will pull together the relevant information, give you an overview of what it plans to cover, and let you adjust the length and direction conversationally before generating anything. Once you’re happy with the plan, Alexa creates a recording with AI-generated host voices.”
While the podcasts feature is currently limited to the US, Alexa+ has recently launched in the UK and other major European markets.
The service is free for Prime members, while non-members face a £19.99 monthly cost after an initial ‘early access’ free offer.