Amazon.com Inc. today debuted a new solution that will enable enterprises to develop customized versions of Alexa for their users with features not included in the standard edition. 

The solution, Alexa Custom Assistant, is the latest example of Amazon making technology it uses internally available to enterprise clients. The company’s cloud computing unit, Amazon Web Services Inc., provides a chatbot development service called Lex that uses some of the deep learning software behind Alexa. AWS’ CodeGuru service for developers also includes technology that the company previously deployed internally.

Alexa Custom Assistant is positioned as a way for organizations to provide a brand-specific voice assistant to users at a lower cost than building one from scratch. The offering allows a company to tailor Alexa to its branding, complete with a custom wake word, and extend the service by developing new capabilities. 

“Custom skills could be used to control a device like increasing the incline on a treadmill, changing the channel on a set top box, or starting a robot vacuum,” Ned Curic, the vice president of automobile at Amazon’s Alexa unit, wrote in a blog post today. “They can also automate and scale customer interactions, such as providing troubleshooting guidance and helping customers learn more about device capabilities.”

On top of building their own Alexa features, enterprises have the option to make use of the assistant’s existing capabilities. Companies can provide their users with access to weather information, alarms and other functions included in the standard edition. For added measure, there’s a mechanism that can automatically switch between standard Alexa and a company’s customized version depending on the user’s request.

Curic elaborated that “Alexa’s presence alongside the brand’s assistant also provides customers access to tens of thousands of Alexa skills and integrations.” Skills are extensions to the assistant’s default feature set that are developed by third-party developers. They enable users to control smart home devices with Alexa and perform a variety of other tasks. 

Amazon is targeting Alexa Custom Assistant at, among others, companies in the auto sector, a market that has long been a focus for the online retail giant. Amazon has offered a car-friendly version of its Echo smart speaker (pictured) since 2018 and boasts a long list of auto industry partners that offer or plan to offer Alexa inside their vehicles. 

Amazon said one of those partners, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, signed up for Alexa Custom Assistant. The auto giant is planning to bring a Fiat Chrysler-branded version of the assistant to some of its smart vehicles.

Amazon’s partnerships with external hardware makers allow it to extend the market reach of Alexa by making the service available in more devices. The company disclosed early last year that hundreds of millions of Alexa-enabled gadgets have been shipped worldwide.

Photo: Amazon