Stories with Tag Smart Speaker

• The Alexa feature "do not send voice recordings" you enabled no longer available

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  Posted: 2025-03-17 04:41:49

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  Amazon has removed the "Do Not Send" toggle in Alexa's privacy settings that previously prevented voice recordings from being reviewed by human annotators. While users can still delete their voice history and choose not to participate in the "Help improve Alexa" program, automatic deletion is no longer an option, meaning some voice recordings will be retained for an unspecified period for ongoing model development. Amazon claims this change simplifies privacy settings and reflects the primary way customers manage their data (i.e., through activity deletion).

  The author of the Mastodon post expresses their dismay at discovering that the privacy setting within the Amazon Alexa mobile application which explicitly prevented the sending of voice recordings for human review is no longer present. This setting, which they had previously enabled to enhance their privacy while using the Alexa voice assistant, has seemingly been removed in a recent update to the application. The author emphasizes that this specific setting, distinct from other privacy controls related to data collection, provided a clear and unambiguous way to opt out of having their voice recordings accessed by Amazon employees or contractors for analysis and improvement of the Alexa service. The disappearance of this option without notification or explanation raises concerns for the author about Amazon's commitment to user privacy and the potential implications for the ongoing collection and utilization of their voice data. They now feel uncertain about the extent to which their voice interactions with Alexa are being monitored and analyzed by human reviewers, despite having actively sought to prevent this in the past. The author finds this change disconcerting and suggests it reflects a potential shift in Amazon's approach to data handling with regard to the Alexa voice assistant.

  • alexa
  • privacy
  • Voice Recordings
  • Amazon
  • Smart Speaker
  • Data Collection
  • Feature Removal
  • Settings
  • User Data
  • Discontinued Feature

  Summary of Comments ( 425 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43385268

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  Hacker News users reacted with cynicism and resignation to the news that Amazon silently removed the Alexa voice recording privacy option. Many expressed the belief that Amazon never truly honored the setting in the first place, speculating the data was still collected regardless of user preference. Some commenters suggested that this move further erodes trust in Amazon and reinforces the perception that "big tech" companies prioritize data collection over user privacy. Others recommended alternative smart home solutions that respect privacy or simply avoiding such devices altogether. A few wondered about the technical or legal reasons behind the change, with some speculating it might be related to training large language models.

  The Hacker News post titled "The Alexa feature 'do not send voice recordings' you enabled no longer available" sparked a discussion with several comments expressing concern and frustration over Amazon's removal of the feature that allowed users to prevent their voice recordings from being used for human review.

  Many commenters felt betrayed by Amazon, highlighting the importance of such privacy controls. They expressed disappointment that Amazon seemingly reversed its stance on user privacy without adequate notification or explanation. The feeling of being misled was a recurring theme.

  Some users speculated about the reasons behind Amazon's decision. One popular theory was that the data collected through human review was crucial for training Alexa's AI models, and discontinuing it might negatively impact the assistant's performance. Others suggested it could be related to cost-cutting measures, while some more cynical comments hinted at potential ulterior motives related to data collection and monetization.

  Several commenters discussed alternative smart speakers and voice assistants, emphasizing privacy-focused options like Mycroft. This indicated a potential shift in user preference towards platforms that prioritize data privacy and transparency.

  There was also a discussion on the effectiveness of such privacy controls in the first place. Some users questioned whether disabling human review genuinely prevented Amazon from accessing and utilizing user data. This skepticism reflected a broader distrust of large tech companies and their data practices.

  A few commenters shared their personal experiences with Alexa, some recounting instances where they felt their privacy had been compromised. These anecdotes further fueled the conversation about the importance of robust privacy controls and transparency from tech companies.

  The overall sentiment in the comments section was negative, with many users expressing disappointment and frustration towards Amazon's decision. The removal of the privacy feature sparked a broader discussion about the balance between technological advancement, user privacy, and the trustworthiness of large tech companies.

• Alexa+, the Next Generation of Alexa

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  Posted: 2025-02-26 16:50:51

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  Amazon announced "Alexa+", a suite of new AI-powered features designed to make Alexa more conversational and proactive. Leveraging generative AI, Alexa can now create stories, generate summaries of lengthy information, and offer more natural and context-aware responses. This includes improved follow-up questions and the ability to adjust responses based on previous interactions. These advancements aim to provide a more intuitive and helpful user experience, making Alexa a more integrated part of daily life.

  Amazon has announced a significant advancement in its Alexa voice assistant technology, dubbed "Alexa+," powered by sophisticated generative artificial intelligence (AI). This next-generation Alexa promises a more conversational, proactive, and personalized user experience, moving beyond simple command-and-response interactions. Instead of requiring explicit instructions for each task, users can engage in more natural, flowing dialogues with Alexa, allowing for complex requests and follow-up questions within the same conversation thread. This improved conversational capability is driven by advancements in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI, enabling Alexa to understand context, anticipate user needs, and respond in a more human-like manner.

  One of the key features of Alexa+ is its proactive assistance. Instead of passively waiting for commands, Alexa will be able to anticipate needs based on learned routines, preferences, and even external factors like calendar events or traffic conditions. For instance, Alexa might proactively suggest starting a coffee routine in the morning or offer alternative routes if traffic is heavy. This proactive behavior aims to make Alexa a more integral and helpful part of users' daily lives.

  Personalization is another core aspect of the upgrade. Alexa+ will be able to tailor its responses and suggestions based on individual user profiles, learning from past interactions and preferences to offer more relevant and customized experiences. This could include recommending music based on listening history, suggesting recipes based on dietary restrictions, or providing personalized news updates based on interests.

  Beyond personalized responses, Alexa+ will also offer improved entertainment experiences. The enhanced AI capabilities will enable Alexa to generate interactive stories, play games that adapt to user choices, and create personalized music playlists based on mood or activity. This dynamic content generation opens up a new realm of possibilities for entertainment and engagement within the Alexa ecosystem.

  Furthermore, Amazon emphasizes the continued development and expansion of Alexa's capabilities. They highlight their commitment to ongoing research and development in areas like natural language understanding, reasoning, and common-sense knowledge. This commitment suggests that Alexa+ is not a static endpoint but rather a platform for continuous evolution and improvement, promising even more sophisticated and helpful features in the future. Finally, Amazon underscores its dedication to user privacy and security, assuring that these advancements are being implemented responsibly and with data protection as a priority.

  • alexa
  • Amazon
  • AI
  • artificial intelligence
  • Generative AI
  • Voice Assistant
  • Smart Speaker
  • smart home
  • Technology
  • Innovation
  • Next Generation
  • update
  • Device
  • Consumer Electronics

  Summary of Comments ( 6 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43185446

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters are largely skeptical of Amazon's claims about the new Alexa. Several point out that past "improvements" haven't delivered and that Alexa still struggles with basic tasks and contextual understanding. Some express concerns about privacy implications with the increased data collection required for generative AI. Others see this as a desperate attempt by Amazon to catch up to competitors in the AI space, especially given the recent layoffs at Alexa's development team. A few are slightly more optimistic, suggesting that generative AI could potentially address some of Alexa's existing weaknesses, but overall the sentiment is one of cautious pessimism.

  The Hacker News post "Alexa+, the Next Generation of Alexa" discussing Amazon's announcement of generative AI features for Alexa has generated several comments. Many of the comments express skepticism and cynicism regarding the practical utility and privacy implications of these new features.

  Several commenters question the value proposition of generative AI for a voice assistant. They point out existing issues with Alexa's current capabilities, like difficulty understanding context and providing accurate information, suggesting that adding generative AI might exacerbate these problems rather than solve them. One commenter sarcastically suggests that generative AI will simply make Alexa better at hallucinating responses. Others express doubt about the real-world use cases, wondering if the examples provided by Amazon are genuinely useful or just gimmicks.

  Privacy concerns are also a recurring theme. Commenters worry about the increased data collection that would be necessary to power these more complex features, with some speculating about how this data could be used for targeted advertising or other purposes. The potential for manipulation or misinformation is also raised, with users questioning the reliability and trustworthiness of AI-generated responses.

  Some comments focus on the technical challenges involved in implementing generative AI in a voice assistant, particularly the latency issues that could make real-time conversations awkward or frustrating. Others express disappointment with Amazon's approach, suggesting that they are simply following the trend of adding generative AI to everything without a clear understanding of its actual benefits.

  A few commenters offer more positive perspectives, acknowledging the potential for generative AI to enhance Alexa's capabilities and provide more personalized and engaging experiences. However, even these comments are often tempered with caution, recognizing the need for careful implementation and consideration of privacy implications.

  A particularly compelling comment thread discusses the potential for generative AI to create more realistic and engaging conversational experiences. While acknowledging the current limitations of voice assistants, some users suggest that generative AI could eventually lead to more natural and human-like interactions, potentially transforming the way we interact with technology. However, others counter this optimism with concerns about the ethical implications of creating AI that can mimic human conversation, raising the possibility of emotional manipulation or dependence.

  Overall, the comments on Hacker News reflect a mixed reaction to Amazon's announcement. While some see the potential for exciting new features, many express skepticism and concern about the practical utility, privacy implications, and ethical considerations surrounding generative AI in voice assistants.