Amazon is introducing a new feature for Prime subscribers in the United States that lets them generate custom podcast episodes on demand. The addition could help Amazon set Alexa+ apart as it competes in the growing AI assistant market, where services from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google currently dominate. Since launching early last year, Alexa+ has struggled to build momentum.
Users can ask Alexa to create podcast episodes on nearly any subject. To support the experience, Amazon uses source material from established media outlets to help its AI models generate more reliable responses. The company has partnerships with organizations such as The Washington Post, Reuters, the Associated Press, TIME, Forbes, Business Insider, Politico, USA Today, Vox, and more than 200 local news outlets across the country.
Users can generate an episode by entering a topic, after which Alexa creates a draft overview for approval. They can then adjust details such as episode length and conversational style before the final podcast is produced. The completed episode, voiced by two AI-generated hosts, is available within minutes and can cover subjects including news, sports, music, movies, history, travel, hobbies, and professional guidance.
Amazon has shared three short audio samples demonstrating the hosts discussing sports, the music industry, and ancient Roman history. How these synthetic conversations will stack up against human-made shows on the same subjects remains an open question.
Relying on trusted news sources doesn’t fully remove the risk of misinformation. Apple faced criticism in late 2024 and early 2025 after Siri’s AI-generated notification summaries produced inaccurate and misleading information, prompting the BBC to warn users against depending on the feature.
Amazon introduced Alexa+ in early 2025 and included it with Prime memberships at no additional cost. The updated assistant used large language models through Amazon Bedrock to support more advanced tasks, including shopping, calendar management, and adapting to user preferences. Despite the attention surrounding the launch, Reuters reported weeks later that there was little sign of widespread adoption. Complaints also emerged after Amazon updated standard Alexa devices to the new AI-powered version without clearly notifying users.
Public opinion around AI shows little sign of becoming more positive, including among younger, tech-savvy groups. Over the past week, students at two commencement ceremonies reacted negatively when speakers praised artificial intelligence. Concerns about labor, the environmental costs of data centers, and the rise of low-quality AI-generated content continue to shape criticism of the technology.
With its podcast creation feature, Amazon is testing whether hyper-personalized audio can give Alexa+ a broader appeal among users who have largely overlooked the platform. The challenge may be less about technical capability and more about audience demand for endlessly generated content.
Maybe you would like other interesting articles?