Better sensors, AI, connectivity, and edge computing are starting to come together to give us homes and neighborhoods that are smarter in ways that matter: our latest devices and services are already able to understand the context of your home, predict your needs, and act on your behalf. We call this ambient computing: technology that is proactive, personal but also communal, and based on an interface you don’t have to learn. We believe voice is an incredibly natural way to interact with your home and technology in general – and it will continue to be integral to our vision—but a truly ambient experience means you’ll talk to Alexa less, or in some cases not at all.
People are embracing ambient computing like never before. Already, 1 in 4 Alexa smart home interactions are initiated by Alexa—without customers saying anything— thanks to predictive and proactive features like Alexa Guard, Routines, and Hunches. Partners ranging from LEGOLAND and Aiva Health to Lamborghini have rolled out new Alexa-enabled products in recent months.
Early on, we recognized that the home represented a vast but untapped opportunity for invention – and that AI, voice, and other emerging technologies could be woven together to make a real difference for customers. The progress we’ve made towards realizing the promise of ambient computing is one of the most exciting evolutions we’ve witnessed. It’s fundamentally reinventing the way people engage with technology, making our customers’ lives easier and better without getting in the way. And we’re not stopping at your front door; we’re investing in inventions like Sidewalk and auto products – as well as services like Amazon Halo – that enable you to access ambient technology throughout your day.
We believe you shouldn’t have to choose between innovation and privacy. That’s why privacy is foundational to all of our devices and services, and core to how we think about building ambient computing. We prioritize customer privacy and security in lots of ways: customers have transparency and control, including the ability to turn off certain features and settings – as well as certain signals and sensors – on or off. We minimize data collection to what is needed to power and improve customer experiences.
Amazon has always been focused on removing friction for customers – whether that’s buying a book or accessing on-demand computing power. That’s why today we’re focused on inventing for a world where technology is always available to make life easier and better without getting in your way. We believe ambient is the future, and we’re excited about the progress we’re making on behalf of our customers.