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The new Alexa+ assistant has just found a new home as Amazon finds new ways to bring generative AI to its ecosystem of services and devices. “Beginning today, Alexa+ will be rolling out on the Amazon Music app on iOS and Android. All customers in Alexa+ Early Access will be able to enjoy Alexa+ in the Amazon Music app across all subscription tiers,” Amazon posted on an announcement blog. When you open the Amazon Music app, there will be a small floating ‘a' symbol in the bottom right. When you click on this, it will activate Alexa+. Through interactions with the AI assistant, you can find songs, create playlists, and more. Amazon gives some examples to start you off: "What's a popular Addison Rae song that was recently released?" "What song has lyrics about taking my horse to the old town road?" “Which song has the lyrics, ‘Catch me or I’ll go Houdini’?” “What’s the song that plays in the opening credits of The Sopranos?” Amazon is also pushing the advanced features of this kind of AI, encouraging users to try out more nuanced requests. These could involve asking for jazz songs but only ones with fast tempos or asking for a playlist that is fun and exciting but won’t overpower a conversation. “With Alexa+ you can rely on a deeply knowledgeable and conversational music expert in your phone. Alexa’s knowledge spans the breath of music culture — from historical milestones to tomorrow’s album releases, from technical production details to the stories behind iconic songs,” the Alexa+ blog goes on to say. Alexa+ vs ChatGPT and Spotify Spotify is Amazon's biggest competitor when it comes to an AI assistant in music streaming. A few years ago, Spotify introduced its AI DJ feature. This acts like a real-world DJ, with introductions to each song and some commentary in between. However, Spotify's AI disc jockey is also personalized to you, setting up a playlist that combines songs you love, as well as new ones Spotify thinks you'll like. The AI DJ saw a big update this year, now taking requests, both by voice and text. This makes it more in line with the abilities that Alexa+ is offering on Amazon Music. However, it isn't quite as intelligent. That is where ChatGPT comes in, currently advertising in partnership with Spotify a feature that can compete with Amazon. When prompting ChatGPT, if a query involves the word Spotify, a pop-up might appear that can take you straight into the music streaming app and complete the request. ChatGPT and Spotify have advertised the ability to use similar prompts to Amazon, asking for niche playlists, facts about songs, and more. Where Alexa+ stands out is that it is the first platform to do it all in one single place. When you prompt Alexa+, it is doing it all within the Amazon Music app directly. It will be interesting to see how Spotify responds, as well as Apple Music. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. More from Tom's Guide
