Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Amazon is expected to announce a major artificial intelligence upgrade for its voice assistant Alexa next week, which could change how we interact with this popular piece of smart home tech. Amazon sent out media invites for a Feb. 26 event in New York City, and Amazon’s Devices and Services team lead Panos Panay is scheduled to speak.Panay joined Amazon in 2023 after spending decades at Microsoft, where he helped shape the Surface product line.The event is expected to preview Alexa’s long-rumored generative AI voice capabilities, which could significantly enhance its ability to engage in more natural, contextual conversations and complete multistep tasks. If announced, this would mark Alexa’s most significant evolution since its debut in 2014. Although Amazon has long been a leader in the AI assistant space, the landscape is rapidly shifting. Companies like OpenAI, Google and Anthropic are rolling out increasingly sophisticated AI assistants capable of multitasking and completing complex requests.Alexa currently processes one command at a time. Last month, OpenAI introduced a new AI agent called Operator, which aims to handle everyday tasks like making dinner reservations, ordering groceries and filling out forms. Amazon told CNET that the event will highlight the latest innovations from the Alexa team but did not provide further details.With more than half a billion Alexa-enabled devices in homes worldwide, a generative AI upgrade could reshape how users interact with voice assistants, and potentially introduce a paid tier for more advanced capabilities. Reuters reported that Amazon has considered charging between $5 and $10 per month for the service, while keeping the original version of Alexa free.Apple is also rumored to ramp up its smart home efforts with a Siri-powered, wall-mounted display designed to control household devices such as thermostats, lights and appliances.Predicted to launch in March, the device is expected to be part of Apple’s push to compete more aggressively in the smart home market, where it has historically trailed Google and Amazon.
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