Amazon Prime members just got a huge new perk — here’s how to use it

Amazon has made Alexa+, its generative AI assistant, free for all U.S. Prime members starting September 1, 2026. Shoppers who tried Alexa+ were more than 25 percent more likely to sign up for a Prime membership, and the assistant reached over 100,000 users in its initial weeks. Amazon's subscription services revenue rose 12 percent year over year to $13.7 billion in Q2 2026.

Amazon Prime members just got a huge new perk — here’s how to use it Shoppers who tried Alexa + were more than 25 percent more likely to sign up for a Prime Membership - Bookmark Amazon /news/world/americas/amazon-prime-local-nhl-hockey-game-streaming-b3043785.html has made Alexa +, its AI assistant, free for all Prime members /extras/indybest/us/amazon-prime-day-2026-us-b2999101.html . Beginning September 1, all U.S. Amazon Prime members /extras/indybest/us/kindle-deals-amazon-prime-day-b3001030.html gained unlimited access to the platform’s next-generation AI assistant — at no added cost. Alexa + is an upgraded version of the traditional Alexa voice assistant, according to the online shopping giant. It uses generative AI to handle more conversational requests and can complete more complicated tasks than the original model would. That includes helping users research various topics, plan their days, manage their calendars, create reminders and handle some tasks. Users can ask Alexa+ to take on other responsibilities, including ordering takeout or scheduling services for them, among other helpful tasks. The added benefit for members comes as Prime membership grew in the double digits year over year during the second quarter of 2026, Amazon senior vice president and CFO Brian Olsavsky said during a July earnings call, according to Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/amazon-adds-perks-prime-free-alexa-access/829610/ Part of the growth was due to Alexa+. Shoppers who tried Alexa + were more than 25 percent more likely to sign up for a Prime Membership, according to the report. The AI assistant also reached more than 100,000 people in the weeks after its initial launch earlier this year. Revenue gained from subscription services, including Prime, rose 12 percent year over year to $13.7 billion. Amazon says Prime members can access Alexa+ across Alexa-enabled devices, the Alexa app and at Alexa.com http://alexa.com . The new perk for Amazon Prime users comes as rival Walmart added more benefits to its paid loyalty program, according to the report. Walmart+ members receive 25 free 4x6 photo prints every month and have the fee waived for an in-store money service transaction once per month, among other perks. The retail giant saw double-digit Walmart+ membership growth during the second quarter of 2026. Other retailers have also started introducing their own premium loyalty programs, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, which launched ScoreCard+ in July. The program offers free shipping, access to exclusive promotions, a 20 percent discount on in-store services and other benefits for a $99 annual fee. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments comments-area