Amazon’s latest upgrade to Alexa+, its next-generation AI assistant, allows you to order food from popular delivery services Uber Eats and Grubhub in a conversational manner, just as if you were chatting with a waiter at a restaurant or placing an order at a drive-thru, according to Amazon.
The aim of this new Alexa+ feature is to create a more natural and interactive ordering experience. Starting today, users can begin requesting a cuisine, explore menu options, ask questions, and customize their meal all within a single conversation. If users change their mind halfway through, want to add a dessert, or adjust quantities, they can make those changes instantly.
To activate the feature, users need to link their Grubhub or Uber Eats account through the Alexa app. Once linked, previous orders will sync automatically, making it easy to reorder favorite meals or discover new restaurants. Users can then say something like, “I want to order Italian for delivery,” and Alexa+ will guide them to various restaurant options. Once the order is set, users get a comprehensive summary of the items in their cart, including quantities and prices.
This new food ordering experience is starting to roll out to Alexa+ customers with Echo Show 8 devices and larger. Amazon explains that this development is a significant advancement in the company’s goal to establish adaptive interaction models. This initiative lays the groundwork for expanding similar features into other areas, such as grocery shopping and travel arrangements.
The Alexa+ upgrade comes amid the broader implications of AI in the food industry. Fast food chains have already begun using AI assistants at drive-thrus, but challenges remain, especially around order accuracy. In 2024, McDonald’s paused its initiative after a few missteps, such as an AI cashier accidentally adding nine sweet teas to a customer’s order. Additionally, Taco Bell faced its share of mishaps, with viral videos showcasing its AI making errors.
Since the rollout of Alexa+ in the U.S. and its recent expansion to the U.K., the features continue to grow, including new personality styles for Alexa, such as a “Sassy” option designed for adults, as well as other styles like Brief, Chill, and Sweet.
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