Amazon is launching an update to its Alexa Plus assistant that will allow it to connect to smart home devices in new ways. With the update, which is currently in preview, Alexa Plus can link up with tech from Bosch, Delta, Ecovacs, iRobot, Yale Home, Whirlpool, Tapo, Eufy, and others, while automatically routing requests to the correct device.
In an example shared by Amazon, a person with a supported washing machine can say, “Alexa, my kid’s soccer jersey could use a deep clean, but the tag says cold wash only.” From there, Alexa Plus would navigate the washer’s cycle options and choose the correct setting. The new integrations are powered by Amazon’s new AI developer toolkit, which is supposed to make it easier for device makers to connect to Alexa Plus, “including those with unique capabilities that weren’t supported before.”
But Amazon is trying to change this by adopting the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard that allows AI models to connect to external systems and tools. This will give more brands the ability to interact with Alexa Plus, with Canva, Headspace, Priceline, Lyft, Cengage, Virgin Atlantic, Weekend, and other companies launching integrations later this year.
For example, Priceline will give customers the ability to browse hotel options and book a trip directly through Alexa Plus. Priceline, along with Atom Tickets, Cengage, Fandango, and Taskrabbit, will soon support payments through Amazon Wallet as well.
