Amazon is now offering greater control over how Alexa behaves during conversations and responses. Three new preset “ personality ” options are now available to users Alexa Plus in the US, allowing them to make the voice assistant more inclusive, cheerful or relaxed.
“Alexa’s personality is one of the things our customers say they love most,” Amazon said in a press release. “That familiar voice and personality have become a part of many of our customers’ everyday lives, but what we’ve learned from customers since the launch of Alexa Plus is that everyone has their own communication style and preferences, and a truly personal assistant needs to adapt to those.”
See also: Amazon launches Alexa Plus nationwide
Amazon Alexa: New personality options
The new personality options are Brief, Chill, and Sweet.
Amazon said the Brief is being introduced in response to "customer requests for shorter, more direct answers," offering a straightforward communication style that "gets straight to the point without unnecessary details."
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The Chill personality offers a laid-back energy that’s similar to chatting with a friend, while Sweet is designed to be “ your biggest supporter ” by providing more excitement and encouragement . There’s clearly a market for people who want their AI assistants to act like a loving companion. However, this has raised concerns in the AI community , with experts warning that people are developing unhealthy relationships with bots.
See also: Amazon: New Echo speakers with Alexa+ AI and Omnisense technology
The new Alexa Plus personalities are supported for eight Alexa voice options. Users can change personality styles by saying “Alexa, change your personality style” or by going to the Alexa app and selecting Device > Device Settings > Alexa’s Personality Style.
