Amazon has announced new artificial intelligence features for its Alexa voice assistant. The update is aimed at improving how users interact with the service. The move follows growing competition in the AI sector.

The company said the upgrade will make Alexa more advanced and easier to use. In recent years, some users and analysts have criticised Amazon’s Echo devices, saying the technology has not developed as quickly as other AI chatbots. Rival systems have become more conversational and simpler to communicate with.

Amazon’s Echo speakers, which use Alexa, were once seen as leading products in the smart speaker market. However, newer AI tools have changed user expectations. The latest update appears to be an effort by Amazon to address concerns that Alexa has fallen behind other services.