Today, we’re excited to announce the Amazon Alexa session track at AWS re:Invent 2017, the largest gathering of the global Amazon developer community. AWS re:Invent provides an opportunity to connect with peers and technology experts, engage in hands-on labs and bootcamps, and learn about new technologies and how to improve productivity, network security, and application performance, all while keeping infrastructure costs low. AWS re:Invent runs from November 27 to December 1, 2017 in Las Vegas. Tickets are expected to sell out in the next two weeks. Please register now to save your spot. 

This year, Alexa will be a part of the Emerging Tech track at Aria. Not only will you learn about our newest technologies, you’ll also learn in new ways! In addition to breakout sessions and workshops, we will have several hands-on opportunities. Small group sessions will give you the opportunity to sit down with a topic expert and learn how to build an Alexa skill or work hands-on with the latest IoT technology. And at our weeklong Builders Fair, you can see and participate in AWS’ technical and customer demos.

The Alexa track at AWS re:Invent will dive deep into the technology behind the Alexa Skills Kit and the Alexa Voice Service, with a special focus on using AWS offerings to enable voice experiences. We’ll cover AWS Lambda, Amazon DynamoDB, AWS CloudFormation, Amazon LEX, Amazon Polly, Amazon S3, Amazon CloudWatch, Amazon CloudFront, and more. You’ll hear best practices from experienced Alexa developers such as Intel, Capital One, Arizona State University, Honeywell, Earplay, Mobiquity, Salesforce, AllRecipes, Gemmy, Automated Insights, Pullstring, and Instructure as well as presentations from senior Amazon evangelists and engineers.

We will have a variety of learning opportunities for developers. This will include deeply technical training on Alexa and the Alexa Skills Kit and how to design for voice. We will also cover the Alexa Voice Service, Amazon’s intelligent voice recognition and natural language understanding service, as well as AI and how science informs how developers operate.  For those interested in the Alexa Smart Home and how it can manage household infrastructure, there will be multiple opportunities to hear from industry experts. And for the gamers in the house, there will be a unique focus on Alexa Gadgets and gaming. Below you will find a peek at some of the more than 40 Alexa sessions. To view other Alexa sessions in the catalog, please visit the AWS re:Invent website.

Alexa State of the Union

In the three years since we introduced the Amazon Echo, voice experiences have transformed the way that customers interact with the world around them. Join Alexa SVP Tom Taylor as we cover the state of the Alexa business, describe some early challenges, and share how we are approaching emerging trends in Alexa customer usage. In addition, we will introduce a number of new capabilities to help developers better address opportunities in voice and the smart home.

Integrate Alexa into Your Product Using the AVS Device SDK

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to build voice-enabled devices with the Alexa Voice Service (AVS), Amazon’s intelligent voice recognition and natural language understanding service. Key topics include: a technology overview, AVS development tools for commercial developers, tips for prototyping with AVS, how to build a robust C++ client using the AVS Device SDK, and how to test your AVS device. Expect to understand the process for bringing hands-free voice services to any connected device and walk out with a working prototype of an Alexa-enabled device on a Raspberry Pi.

How to Build a Professional-Grade Backend for Alexa Smart Home

In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to build professional-grade cloud services that use the APIs for Alexa Smart Home, Amazon’s intelligent voice recognition and natural language understanding service. When you're building an Alexa skill to manage household infrastructure like lighting and heating, customers now expect and need always-on and secure services. In this session, you’ll learn how to architect a solution that meets those expectations. Key topics include: a technology overview, architecture, managing continuous integration pipelines, roll-back strategies, and metrics monitoring.

Five Ways Artificial Intelligence Will Reshape How Developers Think

Thinking in terms of AI and conversation changes the way you approach building web services and customer experiences. In this session, we’ll discuss five trends that we’re seeing right now in artificial intelligence and conversational UI as we work with people building new experiences with Alexa.

Build a Game Skill for the Recently Announced Echo Buttons

In this workshop, we’ll deep dive into how to build engaging experiences with the new Echo Buttons. Participate in this interactive session and create your own Echo Button skill that leverages the new dynamic-input modality in the Alexa Skills Kit!

To view other Alexa sessions in the catalog, please visit here. We will update the catalog with additional offerings as we approach AWS re:Invent 2017. Tickets are expected to sell out in the next two weeks. Please register now. We hope to see you at the Aria in November.