Amazon is rolling out Alexa+, its upgraded AI voice assistant, to compatible Fire TV devices across the United States at no extra cost, with no app download, subscription or Prime membership required. Eligible devices are updated automatically, meaning millions of televisions and streaming sticks gain a more conversational assistant capable of understanding natural follow-up questions rather than requiring precise commands, such as describing a type of film instead of naming it directly.

How users interact with Alexa+ depends on their hardware: Fire TV Stick owners must press and hold the remote's microphone button, Fire TV Cube supports hands-free voice commands via its built-in microphone array, and smart TVs with Alexa built in vary by model. Amazon says Alexa+ users hold nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV as with the original Alexa, and choose its top film recommendation over 40% more often. Beyond entertainment, the assistant can control compatible smart home devices, show Ring camera feeds, answer general questions and jump to specific described scenes within thousands of Prime Video titles.