Amazon’s new Alexa+ powered product can create podcasts

Amazon he announced The latest update to Alexa + Monday: the ability to create podcasts on demand.

The new feature, called “Alexa Podcasts,” is available to customers in the US today. Amazon describes the capability as a way to “turn any topic you want into a podcast episode, ready in minutes.”

To use this feature, all users have to do is ask Alexa + to create a podcast on a topic of their choice. Instead, Alexa + analyzes the request, collects information, and creates a quick preview of what the session will describe. From there, users can adjust things like the length, tone, and purpose of the session.

Once completed, Alexa+ uses the host’s AI-generated voice to describe the podcast. When the unit is ready, users receive notifications via their Echo Show device and within the Alexa app. Sessions are also saved in the “Music” and “Extras” sections of the app for later playback.

This feature is another example of how Amazon is trying to turn Alexa+ into a voice assistant. Instead of just answering questions or controlling smart home devices, Alexa+ has started acting as an AI personalizer.

At the same time, restarting can cause conflict. AI-generated and automated speech continues to raise questions about the culture, accuracy, and future of traditional producers. There are also concerns about how reliable AI-powered podcasts can be, especially when covering news or sensitive topics.

Amazon emphasized its relationships with major media organizations to promote accuracy and reliability. The company says Alexa+ can access real-time information through agreements with outlets including Associated Press, Reuters, The Washington Post, Time, Forbes, Business Insider, Politico, USA Today, Condé Nast, Hearst, and Vox Media, along with more than 200 US newspapers.

Beyond podcasts, Amazon is said to be looking at other types of AI-based content, including short stories and content created from user posts and shared content.