In the midst of the ongoing CES 2024, Amazon has introduced three cutting-edge Alexa skills, seamlessly integrating artificial intelligence into its voice-activated assistant. Here's what Amazon has brought to the table this year.
Character.AI: Conversations with historical figures and more
The first skill, Character.AI, developed by the creators of the Character.AI website, enables users to engage in conversations with a variety of chatbots. Ranging from historical figures like Socrates or Shakespeare to practical assistants like trip planners or fitness coaches, users can delve into discussions on philosophy, physics, receive advice, or simply enjoy AI-driven alternate timelines and games. Users can activate Character.AI by saying, "Alexa, open Character.AI," and choose their preferred conversation category.
Splash: AI-generated personalised music
Splash introduces a unique way of AI music creation. Users can command Alexa to compose a personalised song by simply providing a verbal description. The user can even specify details like adding lyrics or selecting a musical genre. After a short preview, users have the option to make adjustments or ask Alexa to send the created song to their mobile phones.
Amazon's ongoing AI enhancements
In addition to these advancements, Amazon has also introduced Volly Games, offering a modern twist to the classic 20 Questions game, driven by AI. Users can challenge themselves to guess an object by asking the right 'yes' or 'no' questions. The AI host guides users through the game, providing hints when needed. To engage with this skill, users can say, "Alexa, open Volley Games," opening an interactive and entertaining guessing game.
Amazon has been consistently enhancing Alexa's capabilities with AI-related features. Recent developments include a generative AI model to give Alexa a more opinionated personality, the ability to adjust its tone to express human emotions, and a kids-focused feature called "Explore with Alexa." This feature offers child-friendly conversations, fun facts, and trivia for Amazon Kids+ subscribers.
