Amazon is rolling out a new feature for its AI-powered assistant, Alexa+, allowing users to customize the assistant’s personality with three distinct styles: Brief, Chill, and Sweet. The update, launched on Wednesday, gives users greater control over how Alexa communicates, tailoring its tone to match personal preferences. The Brief style delivers shorter, more direct responses, ideal for users who value efficiency and minimalism. The Chill style transforms Alexa into a relaxed, friendly presence—responding in a laid-back, conversational manner, much like a casual friend. Meanwhile, the Sweet style makes Alexa warmer, more enthusiastic, and supportive, offering encouraging remarks and a more upbeat tone. Amazon designed these personality options based on five core dimensions: expressiveness, emotional openness, formality, directness, and humor. Each style reflects a unique combination of these traits. For example, the Brief style is not only concise but also low in formality, emotionally reserved, and uses minimal humor, creating a no-nonsense interaction. Users can switch between styles either by speaking to their Alexa-enabled device—such as an Echo speaker—or by navigating to the Device Settings in the Alexa app and selecting “Personality Style.” The feature is currently available to all Alexa+ subscribers. This move comes amid growing interest in personalizing AI interactions. While some users appreciate a friendly, supportive AI, others have raised concerns about emotional dependency. In recent years, allegations have surfaced that overly affirming AI models, such as OpenAI’s GPT-4o, contributed to mental health struggles in some users, with a few cases leading to crises or even suicides, prompting legal action. Despite these risks, user demand for control over AI behavior remains strong. In December, OpenAI introduced new ChatGPT features enabling users to adjust the AI’s warmth, enthusiasm, and use of emojis—giving them more influence over tone. However, some users have complained that the default settings are now too reassuring, potentially blurring the line between helpfulness and emotional overreach. Amazon says the new Alexa+ personality styles are just the beginning. The company plans to introduce additional styles in the future, further expanding the ways users can shape their AI experience.