Current Events in February 2025

Amazon is launching Alexa+, an upgraded version of its AI-powered assistant, designed to be smarter, more conversational, and capable of handling complex tasks like making dinner reservations or ordering groceries.

The new service, powered by Amazon’s proprietary AI model, Amazon Bedrock, aims to create a highly personalized user experience by learning individual preferences over time.

A more personalized assistant

According to Panos Panay, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Devices & Services, Alexa+ is meant to feel "less like interacting with technology and more like engaging with an insightful friend."

The AI assistant can control smart home devices, play music, and order groceries from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market. But it also remembers user preferences to provide more tailored recommendations.

“She knows what you’ve bought, what you’ve listened to, the videos you’ve watched, the address you ship things to, and how you like to pay,” Panay wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

Users can also train Alexa+ by telling it details such as family recipes, important dates, and dietary preferences. This allows the assistant to make smarter suggestions.

“For example, if you are planning a dinner for the family, Alexa+ can remember that you love pizza, your daughter is vegetarian, and your partner is gluten-free, to suggest a recipe or restaurant,” Panay explained.

Pricing and availability

Amazon will offer Alexa+ for $19.99 per month, but Amazon Prime members will get access for free as part of their $139 yearly membership.

The new service will initially be available on Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 devices before expanding to other models.

Amazon joins the AI race

Amazon is arriving late to the AI assistant competition, as rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini have already been widely used in consumer AI applications. However, with 600 million Alexa-powered devices already in consumers' hands, Amazon hopes Alexa+ will gain a strong foothold in the AI market.

As AI assistants become more advanced, Alexa+ represents Amazon’s effort to stay relevant and offer users a more helpful and intelligent home assistant experience.

Fashion retailer Forever 21 is preparing to close at least 200 stores and lay off more than 350 employees at its corporate office as it struggles to remain viable in a highly competitive retail market, according to press reports.

The chain, which has faced challenges since filing for bankruptcy in 2019, has struggled to keep up with emerging fashion brands and affordable online retailers such as Shein and Fashion Nova. Originally targeting teenage girls when it opened in 1984, Forever 21 has since expanded its product offerings to include apparel and accessories for men and children.

According to Bloomberg News, the company is expected to file for bankruptcy again in an effort to find a buyer for its remaining stores. If a buyer is not found, Forever 21 may be forced to liquidate its remaining 350 locations.

In addition to store closures, the company is also shutting down its downtown Los Angeles corporate headquarters, as stated in a regulatory filing with the California Employment Development Department. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN), which is required for significant layoffs, indicates that job cuts will begin on April 21.

Among those affected by the layoffs are managers, designers, supply chain directors, as well as the company’s chief financial officer and chief merchandising officer, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. Employees who remain with the company will transition to remote work once the corporate headquarters closes.

The decline of Forever 21 highlights the challenges faced by traditional retailers in an increasingly digital shopping landscape. With shifting consumer preferences and the rise of fast-fashion e-commerce giants, brick-and-mortar stores like Forever 21 continue to face mounting difficulties in staying relevant and profitable.