Alexa+ Arrives in Italy: The AI Assistant That Changes the Smart Home Game
Amazon has launched Alexa+ in Italy: generative AI, natural conversations, real-world actions, and deep smart home integration. Everything you need to know about features, compatible devices, and pricing.
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After months of anticipation and over a year since its US launch, Alexa+ is officially available in Italy in Early Access mode. This isn’t a simple software update: Amazon has rewritten the voice assistant from scratch, abandoning the old command-based model in favor of generative artificial intelligence.
For anyone like me who manages a smart home with dozens of connected devices, this is probably the most significant home automation news of 2026.
What Actually Changes
The fundamental difference is in how you interact with Alexa. With the classic version, you had to use specific commands, repeat the wake word with every request, and phrase things precisely. With Alexa+, all of that disappears.
Now you can:
- Speak naturally — incomplete thoughts, colloquialisms, topic changes. Alexa+ follows the conversation without getting lost
- Interrupt and backtrack — no need to start over if you change your mind mid-sentence
- Maintain context — Alexa+ remembers what you were talking about and picks up where you left off, even across different devices
The voice has been completely redone: more expressive, more natural, less robotic. The result is an interaction that feels more like a real conversation than a series of voice commands.
From Voice Assistant to Personal Assistant
This is where the real revolution lies. Alexa+ is powered by advanced large language models (LLMs) integrated through Amazon Bedrock and an entirely new architecture connecting hundreds of services and devices. It doesn’t just answer questions — it takes concrete action.
Some practical examples:
- Smart shopping — suggests your favorite coffee brand at the best price, compares products, summarizes reviews, and completes orders with voice confirmation
- Reservations — through integration with TheFork (coming in the next few weeks), you can book restaurants using just your voice. Treatwell and WeTaxi are also coming soon
- Home management — say “It’s hot in here” and it lowers the thermostat. Say “It’s dark” and it turns on the lights. You can create complex routines entirely by voice
- Contextual music — connected to Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, it picks music based on your mood
Deep Personalization
Alexa+ learns from your habits. The more you use it, the more useful it becomes:
- Voice and visual recognition — distinguishes family members and personalizes responses for each one
- Preference memory — remembers that your mom is vegetarian, that your kid hates broccoli, which football team you support
- Proactive behavior — coming home tired from work? It can dim the lights and start your favorite playlist when you arrive
- Cross-device continuity — start searching for a recipe on the Echo Show in the kitchen, continue on your phone while grocery shopping, and Alexa+ picks up exactly where you left off
Smart Home: Natural Commands
For anyone managing a connected home, this is the most compelling part. No more rigid commands — speak naturally and Alexa+ figures out what to do:
- “Clean up here” → starts the robot vacuum
- “Alexa, play my favorite artist” → music starts on the nearest Echo device
- “Move the music here” → transfers playback to the room you’re in
- “Were any packages delivered today?” → connects to the Ring doorbell, analyzes recordings, and shows you if someone left something at the door
Creating custom routines is now done entirely by voice, combining multiple actions: adjusting lights, playing music, sharing weather forecasts — no need to open the Alexa app.
Compatible Devices
Not all Echo devices are equal. Amazon has identified four flagship devices specifically designed for Alexa+, with enhanced hardware in terms of processor, memory, and edge computing:
| Device | Key Strength | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|
| Echo Show 11 | 11” HD screen, most versatile | Kitchen, living room |
| Echo Show 8 | Size/feature balance, built-in camera | Those wanting a compact display |
| Echo Dot Max | Quality audio in compact form, no screen | Entry-level for Alexa+ |
| Echo Studio | 5 speakers, Dolby Atmos, 3D spatial audio | Music enthusiasts |
But you don’t need to buy a new device. Over 90% of Echo devices distributed in Italy are compatible with Alexa+. Recent Echo Dot, Echo, and Echo Show generations are all part of the program. The difference is that on older hardware, some features may be limited or less responsive.
If you’re starting from scratch, one of the four optimized models is the safest choice. If you already own an Echo, it’s worth registering at amazon.it/nuovalexa and testing before spending.
Built for Italy
This isn’t a simple translation. Alexa’s R&D center in Turin worked to give Alexa+ an authentically Italian personality. Italian engineers and language specialists fine-tuned the language models to handle:
- Dialectal diversity — from North to South, every region has a unique way of expressing itself
- Cultural nuances — “salute” can be a toast, a response to a sneeze, or a sincere well-wish. Context matters
- Local expressions — understands references to football teams, traditional dishes, and Italian music
As Michele Butti, International VP for Alexa, put it: “It will never suggest a cappuccino after lunch or a pizza with pineapple.”
Privacy and Control
Amazon maintains the approach already adopted for Alexa:
- Privacy dashboard — review, listen to, and delete your voice recordings at any time
- Full control — define how long recordings are stored
- Family profiles — set up dedicated profiles for children with shopping and privacy guidelines
- Centralized access — everything manageable via app or web
How Much Does It Cost
During the Early Access period, Alexa+ is free for everyone.
After that:
- €22.99/month for non-Prime users
- Included at no extra cost for Amazon Prime subscribers (€49.99/year)
Do the math: if you don’t have Prime yet, the annual subscription costs less than three months of standalone Alexa+, and it includes fast shipping, Prime Video, Amazon Music, and much more.
How to Get Started
Two ways to access Alexa+ today:
- Buy an Echo device — immediate access, especially with Echo Show 11, Echo Show 8, Echo Dot Max, or Echo Studio
- Register at amazon.it/nuovalexa — if you already own a compatible Echo, express your interest and wait for the Early Access invitation
Browser access via Alexa.com is also coming soon, making the assistant accessible even without dedicated Echo hardware.
What This Means for Smart Home
Alexa+ represents a paradigm shift for anyone managing a connected home. The move from “command interface” to “an assistant that understands and acts” is substantial. The quality of the experience will come down to third-party service integration and the reliability of automated actions — but the early signs are very promising.
For anyone like me who’s building a homelab with home automation at its core, having a voice interface that finally understands context and takes initiative is exactly the missing piece.