Amazon is developing an updated version of its Alexa assistant, codenamed “Moonraker,” aimed at enhancing the AI’s ability to handle multi-step tasks. Business Insider claims to have obtained internal planning documents outlining Moonraker’s design, which focuses on improving Alexa’s agentic capabilities for more complex interactions.
According to the documents, Moonraker will enable users to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as booking a ride while also texting a friend. This enhancement is intended to strengthen Alexa’s competitive edge against agentic AI models from companies like Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI.
Financial projections for the project indicate GPU costs could exceed $100 million in 2026. Some senior personnel within Amazon reportedly believe the company has already overspent on the AI models that support the current Alexa chatbot.
Business Insider also referenced a separate document from late 2025 detailing Amazon’s plans to deploy “hundreds” of NVIDIA GPUs for the Moonraker initiative. This project is set to integrate an Anthropic Sonnet model to facilitate advanced reasoning and visual responses.
Alexa+ launched nationwide in the US at the start of 2026 and is still in Early Access in the UK. Users have reported challenges with Alexa’s ability to execute basic tasks, contrasting earlier versions’ performance. Engadget’s Cherlynn Low noted improvements in conversational skills with Alexa+, while also highlighting issues with the assistant’s memory, particularly regarding app interactions.
In February, Amazon introduced three new personality styles for Alexa+ to tailor user interactions. A later addition included a “sassy” mode, giving Alexa a more casual tone. Moreover, several months ago, Amazon incorporated natural language processing for food delivery orders via apps like GrubHub and Uber Eats.
