With Alexa Podcasts, two AI-generated hosts discuss your chosen topic.
Alexa Plus, Amazon’s enhanced AI assistant, can now create podcasts on virtually any subject, as announced on Monday. The update allows you to provide Alexa Plus with a topic, and the AI will present an overview of what will be discussed by the AI hosts. Users can guide the conversation and adjust its length before the episode starts.
Amazon shared examples of “Alexa Podcast” episodes featuring AI hosts discussing topics such as the Roman Empire’s history, new music, and World Cup expectations. Users can also request podcasts on subjects like the Apollo missions or new hobbies like photography. This feature resembles AI-generated podcasts that can be created using NotebookLM and is also available through a recent Microsoft Edge update.
Amazon states that the AI-generated episodes will source information from 200 partnered news outlets, such as Reuters, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, Vox, and Politico. Alexa Plus, launched in the US in February, has since been integrated into Amazon’s online marketplace.
Upon completion of an episode, notifications appear on the Echo Show device and Alexa app. Users can play episodes via the notification or access it through the Music and More section on the Echo Show, or the Alexa app.