Time To Pay: Amazon to Start Charging Some Alexa Users in Coming Months

"Hey, Alexa. I thought you were free. What happened?"

Amazon is getting ready to start charging some customers who use Alexa according to The Washington Post.

Why Is Amazon Charging For Alexa Use?

For nearly 10 years, the on-demand, voice-activated Alexa service has been available through Amazon's Echo devices. Say what you need and the speaker will provide you with an answer or maybe even add something to your shopping list.

Now, Amazon is looking to expand on that service and plans to bring a monthly charge along with it.

The Washington Post reports the revamped Alexa will become a subscription service that incorporates artificial intelligence. Think of it as taking Alexa to the next level with AI-based recipe suggestions for that follow your family's diet. The report also mentions Alexa using Ai to better summarize news headlines.

How Much Is Alexa Going To Cost?

For now, it appears Amazon will use a tiered system for its Alexa service. Those looking to get the revamped Alexa will have to pay $`10 a month. That charge will be separate from an Amazon Prime membership.

The good news is there will still be a free version of Alexa much like it currently is for Echo device owners. It just won't have the AI-enhanced features that will be added in the paid tier.

READ MORE: Meet The Adorable Cat Who Says 'Hello' To Unsuspecting Delivery Drivers

If you're thinking "who'd ever pay for Alexa," you have to remember just how many people own these devices. Yahoo Finance reported last year that Amazon has sold more than 500 million Alexa-enabled devices.

In addition to the number of devices out there, Amazon also is working with a customer base that is prone to be upsold on products. The upsell could be convincing you to get a Prime membership or as The Verge notes, being "nagged" by Alexa try another feature in addition to what you're already doing.

The new AI-enhanced Alexa is planned to launch sometime in October.