A major overhaul is coming to Amazon's Alexa, with the introduction of Alexa Plus, a more conversational, context-aware, and capable assistant. Announced at a press conference in New York City, Alexa Plus promises to revolutionize the smart home experience with its advanced AI-powered abilities and a new, more intuitive user interface.

The most significant change is Alexa's newfound ability to understand natural language, allowing users to communicate with the assistant in a more conversational tone. Gone are the days of memorizing specific commands; instead, users can simply talk to Alexa as they would to a human. In demos, Alexa was able to understand and execute complex commands, such as adjusting lighting and thermostat settings, without requiring specific device names or room assignments.

Another key feature of Alexa Plus is its ability to follow multiple commands at once, without the need to repeat the wake word. This means users can issue a series of commands, such as dimming the lights and adjusting the temperature, in a single conversation. The assistant will then respond accordingly, making it easier to control multiple devices with ease.

Alexa Plus also introduces a new smart home routine feature, which allows users to create custom routines using voice commands. For example, users can tell Alexa they're having trouble waking up, and the assistant will create a "Good Morning" routine that sets an alarm, adjusts lighting, and even starts a Roomba vacuuming job. This feature leverages Amazon's knowledge of hundreds of smart home APIs, making it easier for users to create complex routines without needing to program an app.

The new Echo Show UI is another significant upgrade, featuring a cleaner, more customizable design with larger widgets and a more tablet-like interface. The UI now includes a larger calendar and smart home widgets, as well as a handy new feature that allows users to send images, documents, and notes to their alexa@alexa.com email address or through the Alexa app or web interface. From there, Amazon says Alexa can parse information, add events to the calendar, and even set reminders.

Other notable features of Alexa Plus include a new Ring camera integration, which allows users to query Ring's Smart Video Search for summaries of events around the house or specific instances, such as package deliveries or pet activity. The assistant also gets more proactive in the kitchen, with the ability to take ingredients from recipes, add them to a shopping list, and even arrange for delivery from Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh, and other grocery providers.

Alexa Plus will be available via an early access program in late March, exclusively in the US, to customers with an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21. It will be included in Prime membership and cost $19.99 per month for non-Prime customers. Amazon says Alexa Plus will eventually come to other Echo devices, including Echo Buds and Echo Frames, as well as Fire TVs and Fire tablets.

For those who have struggled with Alexa's limitations in the past, Alexa Plus promises to be a game-changer. With its advanced natural language understanding and multi-command capabilities, Alexa Plus has the potential to make smart home automation more accessible and user-friendly than ever before.