According to reports, Amazon is planning a major overhaul of its popular voice assistant service Alexa, potentially introducing a monthly subscription for its advanced AI-driven version. If this plan is implemented, it could signify a significant shift in the way consumers interact with one of the most well-known voice assistants on the market. As early as September 2023, Amazon showcased an early version of the new Alexa, with an expected official launch in early 2024. However, to date, we have not seen the official release of this product or any related updates. The e-commerce giant is reportedly planning to charge a monthly fee of $5 to $10 for the AI-enhanced version of Alexa, as part of a project called "Project Banyan." This transformation plan will introduce two service tiers. The existing free version, "Classic Alexa," will continue to exist, but the premium version will offer advanced AI-supported features and require users to pay a monthly fee. It is expected that this new service will not be bundled with Amazon's annual $139 Prime membership. While Alexa is widely popular in the market, profitability has always been a challenge. This service is mainly used for simple tasks such as setting timers, checking the weather, and playing music. Amazon's efforts to leverage Alexa for e-commerce sales have not been successful, leading to significant layoffs in that department last year. According to insiders, the new AI-driven version called "Remarkable Alexa" is expected to provide a more human-like conversational experience and advanced capabilities. Sources familiar with the project state that the premium version will be able to handle complex tasks such as composing emails, ordering food, and executing multi-step commands—all with just one prompt. The success of OpenAI's ChatGPT has further intensified the competition to develop more advanced AI assistants. Competitors such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple have also made significant progress in generative AI. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has high hopes for revitalizing Alexa and has set an ambitious internal deadline for the project—August of this year. This sense of urgency highlights the strategic importance of Alexa to Amazon's broader ecosystem, which includes its e-commerce platform and smart home devices. However, Amazon faces significant challenges. Some employees doubt whether customers are willing to pay for a service that is currently free. Additionally, the company faces technical challenges and low morale internally. Insiders have dubbed 2024 as the "make-or-break" year, where Amazon's pressure lies in ensuring the delivery of an "extraordinary" experience that justifies its costs. But the key question is whether consumers are willing to pay for a service that has traditionally been free. The addition of new features may attract tech enthusiasts and heavy users of smart home devices, but convincing a broader market could prove to be a daunting challenge.