Now, I’ve known Panay for a long time — if you’re a tech fan, you know that he was the Microsoft exec who really brought the Windows hardware market back to life by introducing the Surface line of tablets and laptops,

Giving Alexa the power of generative AI was already expected to be the star announcement from Amazon -- and it was. During the last Devices and Services event in 2023, Amazon announced a gen AI-powered 'Alexa+' or Alexa Plus and a new user interface coming to an Echo device near you, and the company is now making it more real than ever before.

Alexa Plus will start rolling out next month in early access. It's an opt-in service and won't be available to everyone through an over-the-air update in March.