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Amazon to End Alexa’s Local Processing, All Voice Requests Will Go to Cloud

The move, tied to the launch of generative AI-powered Alexa+, raises privacy concerns as users lose a key privacy feature starting March 28.

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"Echo Dots" are pictured at Amazon Headquarters on September 20, 2018 in Seattle, Washington.
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© Photo: Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

Overview

  • Amazon will discontinue the 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' feature on March 28, requiring all Alexa voice requests to be processed in the cloud.
  • The change coincides with the rollout of Alexa+, a generative AI-powered assistant offering personalized features but requiring cloud-based processing.
  • Users who opt for the 'Don’t Save Recordings' setting will lose access to the Voice ID feature, which enables personalized responses.
  • The privacy-focused feature was previously used by less than 0.03% of customers and limited to select Echo devices in the U.S.
  • Privacy advocates and users have expressed concerns, citing Amazon's history of data misuse, including a $25 million settlement in 2023 for storing children’s recordings indefinitely.