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By Jon Derkits · January 12, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
The big news from CES 2026 that *no one* is talking about...
👉 Amazon is pivoting from a "hardware-first" strategy to an "AI-services-first" model
And the cornerstone of this pivot is the launch of Alexa.com, which brings the generative AI-powered Alexa+ directly to people's browsers.
Here's why this matters:
1) For the first time, users do not need an Echo speaker to enter the Alexa ecosystem.
By launching a web-based chat interface at Alexa.com, Amazon is moving into direct, side-by-side competition with ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
2) Amazon's differentiator isn't just "smarter" conversation; it's the ability to execute workflows (particularly shopping-related workflows).
Alexa+ is being positioned as a "personal chief of staff".
3) This will further fuel the Amazon Prime flywheel.
Alexa+ will cost $19.99/month as a standalone subscription. BUT: It is included for free with an Amazon Prime membership.
At roughly $240/year for the standalone AI vs. the $139/year Prime membership, Prime becomes an even more obvious value proposition for heavy AI users.
#ces2026
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#amazonalexa