Amazon is discontinuing a feature that allowed users of some of its Echo smart speakers to choose not to send their voice recordings to the cloud. The "Do not send voice recordings" option, which was limited to three Echo devices, will be disabled on March 28th, 2025, according to an email sent to users and posted on Reddit.

The move appears to be connected to the launch of Amazon's generative AI-powered Alexa Plus, slated for later this month. In an email to The Verge, Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild stated that the company is focusing on "the privacy tools and controls that our customers use most" and that the feature is no longer necessary with the introduction of Alexa Plus, which relies on the processing power of Amazon's secure cloud.

The "Do not send voice recordings" feature allowed users to process Alexa requests locally on the device, rather than sending voice recordings to the cloud for processing. This option was only available on three Echo devices – Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15 – and only for customers in the U.S. with devices set to English. While the feature was limited in scope, its discontinuation may still be a disappointment to smart home users who valued the added layer of privacy and control.

However, Amazon has assured users that they will still be able to choose from a robust set of tools and controls, including the option to not save their voice recordings at all. If users have the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" option turned on, it will default to the "Don't save recordings" setting on March 28th, which means their recordings will be sent to and processed in the cloud and then deleted after Alexa deals with the request.

The shift towards cloud-based processing is likely a strategic move by Amazon to further integrate its Alexa platform with its AI capabilities. As the smart home market continues to evolve, Amazon's decision to prioritize cloud-based processing may have significant implications for user privacy and the future of voice assistants.

For those seeking alternative voice assistants that prioritize local processing, Home Assistant's new Voice PE is worth considering. As the smart home landscape continues to shift, users will be watching closely to see how companies like Amazon balance user privacy with the demands of AI-powered innovation.