Amazon is revamping Alexa with advanced AI capabilities and partnerships with major companies such as Uber, Instacart, Ticketmaster, and OpenTable, aiming to make it a more proactive personal assistant. According to internal documents obtained by Business Insider, the new Alexa, codenamed Banyan, will integrate these partners to handle key tasks like ride-hailing, grocery shopping, ticketing, and restaurant reservations.

Amazon plans to onboard about 200 partner companies within three years, potentially launching a subscription service alongside the new features. Unlike current Alexa Skills, these partnerships would establish exclusive integrations, offering users more seamless and comprehensive task management. While early testing has faced challenges like latency and accuracy, Amazon remains committed to delivering an upgraded Alexa experience.

CEO Andy Jassy described the overhaul as a re-architecture of Alexa’s “brains” to create “the world’s best personal assistant.” He noted the potential of generative AI to enhance Alexa’s capabilities by not only answering queries but also performing actions. Amazon sees this transformation as critical to reigniting consumer interest and ensuring Alexa’s relevance in the competitive AI landscape.