Amazon launches Alexa+, an AI-powered next-generation assistant, for Canadian Prime members at no extra cost, with early user engagement metrics showing double the interaction rate of the original Alexa.

What happened: Amazon announced on June 11 that Alexa+, its next-generation AI assistant built on large language models, is now available to all Canadian customers. Prime members receive full access at no additional cost as part of their membership bundle. The new assistant is more conversational, personalized, and able to complete tasks on a user's behalf.

Why it matters: Early engagement numbers from Canadian users show Alexa+ is being used twice as often as the original Alexa, with smart home feature usage up 60% and recipe requests increased fivefold. This suggests the AI-powered upgrade is driving measurably stronger user adoption and interaction—a key test of whether the new architecture actually delivers practical value to customers.

What to watch: Alexa+ is available now for Canadian Prime members at no extra charge. The strong engagement signals in Canada may influence Amazon's rollout pace to other regions and shape how the company bundles AI features into its Prime subscription going forward.