Amazon has just introduced one. It lets Alexa+ answer the doorbell and interact with visitors, which certainly sounds as futuristic as a “gated community in dystopia.”
There are several caveats here. First, it only works with some of the newer Ring Video Doorbell models. Customers will also have to commit to the Ring Premium plan and get access to the Alexa+ Early Access build. It is available in the US and Canada and in English only.
If you meet those criteria, this can be a pretty useful little feature. Amazon says it “turns your Ring Doorbell into an intelligent assistant that’s able to determine who is at your door, understand what they need, and respond in a conversational manner.” The company promises that the tool will work whether people are at home or working outside.
How does this work? It’s an AI algorithm that “determines who is there based on what they are wearing, holding or their actions.” It will use “visual context, any information shared by the visitor, and instructions provided to help manage the interaction on your behalf.”
For example, Amazon says it can recognize whether a person is wearing a delivery uniform and ask them to leave a package at the back door. Most of my delivery drivers don’t come to the door in full uniform because it’s winter and that would be ridiculous. I don’t even expect it during the summer. In other words, this is modern AI and mistakes will be made.
The company gives other examples of how it can be used, such as collecting messages from visiting friends and asking door-to-door salespeople to (politely) fix bugs. Amazon also says that Alexa+ will be able to direct visitors to water and snacks that are already placed. Finally, there’s a way to avoid those pesky cute kids on Halloween while still providing them with gifts.
Everything can be reviewed later through the Ring app, providing context as to who’s moving around the porch. Alexa+ Greetings is rolling out today.
For the uninitiated, Alexa+ is Amazon’s updated chatbot. It’s more interactive than the old Alexa, which can be useful or annoying depending on what you use it for. I use Alexa primarily as an alarm, so I don’t necessarily want a gabfest.
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