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Alexa Can Now Tell Who’s Speaking to Better Serve Up Whatever Weird Thing You’re Ordering From Amazon Late at Night

Photo: Amazon

One of the advantages the Google Home smart speaker has always had over Amazon’s incumbent, the Echo, has been its ability to tell who is speaking and pull the relevant info. If you want your smart speaker to order you a five-pound bag of gummy bears, you want that bag sent to you, not your roommate.

Today, Amazon evened the score. Because every always-on microphone in your home should be able to identify individual targets, Alexa can now recognize different users as well. To set up a new voice profile, go into the Alexa app on your smartphone, head into “Settings > Your voice.” Then recite ten phrases to train Alexa, and you’re all set.

You can use the new voice profiles to request custom music recommendations, get custom news briefings, and personalized shopping experiences. Easy peasy, no more calling the wrong mom. Alexa now knows who your mom is.

Alexa Can Now Tell Who’s Speaking