Amazon Echo Users No Longer Have Local Alexa Processing Option

•

3 days ago

Summary

Amazon has stopped supporting local Alexa processing on Echo devices, sending all voice recordings to the cloud. This change affects users who had the 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' feature enabled. Amazon is rolling out a new version of Alexa+, which relies on cloud processing for its generative AI features.

Key Points

Amazon will no longer support local Alexa processing on Echo devices
All voice recordings will be sent to Amazon's cloud
This change affects users who had the 'Do Not Send Voice Recordings' feature enabled

Why It Matters

The shift to cloud-based processing raises concerns about user privacy, as all voice recordings will now be sent to Amazon's servers.

Author

Anthony Ha

More Headlines

Nvidia GTC 2025: What to Expect

GTC, Nvidia's biggest conference of the year, is returning this week. The event will feature keynote presentations, panels, and workshops on various topics including AI, robotics, and quantum computing.

Google's Gemini AI Model Used to Remove Watermarks from Images

google's gemini 2.0 flash ai model has been discovered to be capable of removing watermarks from images, including those published by getty images and other well-known stock media outfits. the model, which is labeled as 'experimental' and 'not for production use', appears to struggle with certain semi-transparent watermarks and watermarks that canvas large portions of images. some copyright holders may take issue with the lack of usage restrictions and potential for infringement.

Stop Doomscrolling by Just Doing Something Else

In today's world, it can be tempting to get sucked into endless scrolling. However, there are other things you can do on your phone that don't involve social media. From reading a book to playing games, there are plenty of alternatives to keep you entertained and engaged.

Alphabet Again in Talks to Acquire Wiz

Alphabet is again in advanced talks to acquire cloud cybersecurity startup Wiz for around $30 billion, a higher price than the previously reported deal. The two companies were close to securing a deal at a $23 billion valuation last summer but it failed to materialize.

NVIDIA GTC 2025: What to Expect

Nvidia's GTC 2025 conference is just around the corner, and TechCrunch will be there to cover all the news. CEO Jensen Huang will give a keynote address on Tuesday, discussing AI applications that matter beyond the tech industry.

LockBit-linked Hackers Exploit Fortinet Firewalls for Ransomware Attacks

Security researchers have observed hackers linked to the notorious LockBit gang exploiting a pair of Fortinet firewall vulnerabilities to deploy ransomware on several company networks. A group dubbed Mora_001 is targeting unpatched Fortinet firewalls, deploying a custom ransomware strain called SuperBlack.

TikTok Introduces Security Checkup Tool

TikTok has introduced a new 'Security Checkup' tool that allows users to review and update their account's security settings from a single screen. The feature is similar to those offered by Instagram and Google, and encourages users to enable more security features to make their accounts safer.

Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Allowed to Temporarily Leave France

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, is allowed to temporarily leave France after being arrested in August due to allegations of facilitating organized fraud and sharing CSAM on the platform. The modification of his supervision conditions means he can now leave the country legally.

Texas software developer faces up to 10 years in prison

A federal jury convicted a Texas software developer of intentionally damaging his former employer's network, causing widespread system disruptions and hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. The developer, Davis Lu, was accused of creating a 'kill switch' that locked out all employees from the network when his credentials were deactivated.

AI Speeds Up Chemical Manufacturing for Drug Development

Artificial intelligence (AI) is continuing to stir things up in chemistry. Y Combinator-backed startup Reactwise is using AI to speed up the process of chemical manufacturing for drug development. This can make a meaningful difference in shrinking the time it takes to get new pharmaceuticals to patients.

Klarna Announces Partnership with Walmart

Swedish fintech giant Klarna has announced a partnership with retail giant Walmart to provide buy now, pay later loans to customers. The partnership will see Klarna take over providing the loans through OnePay, a fintech startup in which it owns a majority stake. This move is seen as a significant blow to rival Affirm, whose stock took a hit following the news.

OpenAI to Test Way for Business Customers to Connect Apps Like Slack and Google Drive to ChatGPT

OpenAI plans to start beta testing a new feature called ChatGPT Connectors, allowing business customers to link workspace Google Drive and Slack accounts to ChatGPT. This will allow employees using ChatGPT to easily make use of internal information similar to how they can use world knowledge via web search.

Elon Musk's xAI Acquires Hotshot

Elon Musk's AI company xAI has acquired Hotshot, a startup that developed AI-powered video generation tools. The acquisition could indicate that xAI plans to build its own video generation models to compete with others in the industry.

Flexport Sues Former Employees Over Stolen Data

Flexport, a logistics unicorn, is suing two former employees who allegedly stole thousands of its confidential documents and source code to create their own rival startup, Freightmate AI. The suit claims that the former employees used this stolen data to gain an unfair advantage in building their new venture.

Fintech Jobs: 18+ Roles Available

The fintech industry has seen massive growth during the pandemic, and the demand for skilled professionals continues to rise. Explore open roles in companies such as Spade, Statrys, Steadily, Sunbound, Sunrate, Swoop, Symmetry Software, Tala, Talisman, Tremendous, Vesta, Wise, and Zeller.