Amazon has introduced an update to its Alexa Plus assistant that expands its ability to interact with smart home devices from multiple manufacturers. The preview version now supports connections with products from Bosch, Delta, Ecovacs, iRobot, Yale Home, Whirlpool, Tapo, Eufy, and other companies, with the system automatically directing requests to appropriate devices.
The enhanced capabilities are designed to handle more nuanced instructions. Amazon demonstrated the functionality through an example where a user could request that Alexa Plus optimize a washing machine cycle for a specific garment, specifying constraints like cold water requirements. The assistant would then navigate the appliance’s settings to select the appropriate cycle. These new integrations are enabled by Amazon’s AI developer toolkit, which aims to simplify the process for device manufacturers to integrate with the platform, including those offering unique features previously unsupported.
Amazon initially released its redesigned Alexa Plus assistant in February, positioning it as capable of managing multi-step requests and voice-activated routine creation. Since launch, the assistant has maintained limited third-party service integrations with platforms including Ticketmaster, OpenTable, Uber, Thumbtack, Expedia, Yelp, Square, and Angi.
To broaden its ecosystem, Amazon has adopted the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard enabling AI systems to interface with external platforms and tools. This framework is expected to facilitate integration by additional companies planning to connect with Alexa Plus later this year, including Canva, Headspace, Priceline, Lyft, Cengage, Virgin Atlantic, and Weekend. Travel booking platform Priceline will enable users to search and book hotels through the assistant, while multiple services including Priceline, Atom Tickets, Cengage, Fandango, and Taskrabbit plan to support payment processing through Amazon Wallet.
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