Beginning on March 28, 2025, Amazon will discontinue the option for users to process their voice commands locally on select Echo devices. Instead, all requests will be sent to Amazon's cloud for analysis. Despite the lack of an official announcement from Amazon, reports confirm that emails have been sent to users regarding this significant change, which has stirred discussions across social media platforms.
The email, shared with The Register, informs users that the feature known as 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings', which many privacy-conscious customers enabled on their Echo devices, will no longer be supported. Amazon cited the expansion of Alexa's capabilities through generative AI as the reason for this transition, stating that the processing power required for these advanced features exceeds the capabilities of the hardware on certain Echo devices, specifically the 4th-gen Echo Dot, Echo Show 10, and Show 15.
For users with less powerful Echo devices, local processing has never been an option. Therefore, all spoken commands will be processed remotely in Amazon's cloud. This change raises concerns for users who valued the privacy that local processing offered, but Amazon claims that only a small number of users opted for this feature. If users do not take any action, their Alexa settings will automatically update to 'Don't save recordings'.
Starting March 28, all voice recordings will be sent to the cloud for processing and will be deleted post-analysis. However, if the setting is updated to 'Don't save recordings', users will lose the ability to create a voice ID, which is necessary for personalized features. This essentially means that without allowing Amazon to store their recordings, users will encounter a limited Alexa experience.
Though many Echo owners may be displeased with the removal of local audio processing, it is important to note that this feature was not wholly secure. As per another Amazon help page, even with local processing enabled, a text transcript of each voice command was still transmitted to Amazon's cloud, where it was stored alongside the audio recordings without automatic deletion. Users had to manually delete these transcripts through their Voice History, often without realizing they existed.
Amazon's approach to user privacy has faced scrutiny, particularly concerning the functionality of Alexa and its various devices. Studies have suggested that Amazon utilizes data from Alexa voice interactions to enhance targeted advertising both on Echo devices and across the web. Furthermore, third-party apps for Alexa-enabled devices often lack clear privacy policies, raising additional concerns about data handling.
In light of previous controversies, such as issues surrounding Ring cameras and allegations of inadequate security measures that compromised user privacy, Amazon's elimination of local processing may add to the distrust among consumers. Nevertheless, an Amazon spokesperson stated that the company is committed to protecting customer privacy and ensuring data security, indicating that they will focus on privacy tools that enhance the generative AI experience.
The decision to phase out local voice processing aligns with Amazon's push towards its new generative AI features, recently unveiled alongside the launch of Alexa+. These updates are available only to Amazon Prime subscribers or users willing to pay a subscription fee of $19.99 per month. Regardless of whether users choose the classic Alexa or the new Alexa+, all voice commands will be processed remotely starting March 28.
Amazon assures customers that various privacy options will remain available, including the ability to not save voice recordings, although this will result in a less personalized Alexa experience. As Amazon continues to develop its technology, they promise to learn from customer feedback and enhance privacy features accordingly.
