Update: Amazon Spokesperson Statement, 01/27/26.
"We are in the process of rolling out Alexa+ to some Prime customers with compatible devices, but it is not accurate to say they have all been upgraded."
Amazon is force-migrating millions of Prime members to its AI-powered Alexa+ voice assistant, whether they want it or not. The unannounced rollout - which ditches the familiar Alexa voice for what users are calling a "sassy teenager" - has sparked immediate backlash from customers who woke up to find their Echo devices speaking in an entirely different tone. According to Wired, the mass upgrade began in January 2026 after Amazon announced at CES it was ending the Alexa+ waiting list.
Amazon just pulled off one of the most aggressive product updates in smart home history. The company's AI-powered Alexa+ voice assistant - still technically in "Early Access" - started appearing on millions of Echo devices this month without users explicitly asking for it. If you're a Prime member with a supported Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Show, or Fire TV device, you've likely already been switched over.
The rollout marks a sharp departure from Amazon's usual opt-in approach. One Wired staffer reported repeatedly declining the upgrade prompt, only to wake up one morning to find her Echo Dot greeting her in Alexa+'s noticeably different voice - a change she described as "intolerable." The new default voice, which Amazon labels "Feminine 1" and describes as "upbeat" in the Alexa app, has become the flashpoint of user frustration. On Reddit, customers are calling it the "teenage girl voice" or "sassy teenager," noting its youthful cadence that can sound almost sarcastic.
"Alexa+ is significantly more capable than the original Alexa, so we're working to make it available to as many customers as possible," an Amazon spokesperson told . "We notified customers of the upcoming update, including how to return to the original version." The company claims it sent emails, in-app notifications, and on-device alerts, but the sheer volume of surprised users suggests those warnings didn't land effectively.
