Amazon has unveiled a new feature that allows users to customise the personality of its upgraded AI assistant, Alexa+.
The company has introduced three initial personality styles — Brief, Chill and Sweet — each designed to alter how Alexa communicates with users.
In Brief mode, Alexa delivers shorter, more direct answers. Chill gives responses a relaxed, laid-back tone, similar to a casual friend. Sweet, meanwhile, makes the assistant warmer and more enthusiastic, adding encouragement and positivity to its replies.
Balancing personality and responsibility
The move highlights the growing debate around AI “personalities.” While many users prefer conversational and emotionally expressive chatbots, experts have raised concerns about the psychological impact of highly affirming AI systems.
For example, some users of OpenAI’s GPT-4o reportedly developed unhealthy dependencies on the technology, with lawsuits alleging that overly reassuring responses worsened pre-existing mental health conditions in certain cases.
At the same time, demand for personalisation remains strong. In December, OpenAI rolled out new features in ChatGPT allowing users to adjust the assistant’s tone, warmth and enthusiasm. Despite these controls, some users have complained that the default style remains too reassuring.
Amazon says Alexa’s new personalities are built across five dimensions: expressiveness, emotional openness, formality, directness and humour. Each style represents a different mix of these elements. For example, Brief is not only concise but also casual and direct, with minimal humour.
How to switch styles
Users can change Alexa’s personality either by voice through compatible devices such as Echo speakers or within the Alexa app under Device Settings in the “Personality Style” section.
For now, the feature is available only in the U.S., with Amazon confirming that additional personality styles are planned for future release.
