Amazon is enabling a new feature today that allows Alexa to proactively perform tasks at home, such as turning off the lights, based on her habits and frequent requests.
Alexa can feel these habits and ask about them since 2018 – the company calls them “hunches” – but before this update, Alexa asked for permission before acting on something like lowering the thermostat before going to bed. If the new proactive guesses are enabled, however, Alexa will skip the permission request for a task and just perform it.
While proactive guesses can make Alexa much more useful, it is important to have granular controls over what Alexa can act on automatically. A support article from Amazon seems to suggest that you can select which types of guesses Alexa can make on its own, but we contacted Amazon for more information on how much you can customize proactive guesses.
Along with Alexa’s new features, Amazon is also launching its Guard Plus security subscription service. The service can alert you if Alexa picks up certain types of sounds in your home and offers access to human agents who can call emergency services on your behalf, similar to ADT. You can sign up for Guard Plus on the Alexa app, which will cost $ 4.99 per month.
Amazon is also launching a power panel for the Alexa app that can monitor and estimate how much power compatible devices connected to Alexa use if their manufacturers support it. This can include anything from TVs to water heaters, and Amazon has a complete list of compatible products on its website about the new panel.
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Amazon says all three features are due to start rolling out in the United States today.