From 28th March 2025, Amazon will implement a significant change to its Echo devices, removing the option for local voice processing and mandating that all Alexa voice commands be sent to Amazon’s cloud servers for processing. This update represents a fundamental shift in how Alexa operates and has already sparked debate over the future of privacy in smart home and business environments.

What’s Changing?

Until now, certain Echo devices—such as the Echo Dot (4th Gen), Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15—offered a feature called “Do Not Send Voice Recordings”, which allowed specific voice requests to be processed locally, keeping user data within the home. This gave privacy-conscious users an extra layer of control over their data.

However, Amazon has announced that this feature will be discontinued from 28th March 2025. From that date forward, all Alexa voice commands will be transmitted to Amazon’s cloud, regardless of the settings selected by users.

Even if users opt for the “Don’t save recordings” setting, voice data will still be sent to Amazon’s servers. The company states that the data will be deleted once processed—but not before it leaves the device.

Amazon’s Official Explanation

In an email sent to affected customers, Amazon explained:

“We are reaching out to let you know that the Alexa feature ‘Do Not Send Voice Recordings’ that you enabled on your supported Echo device(s) will no longer be available beginning 28th March 2025. As we continue to expand Alexa’s capabilities with generative AI features that rely on the processing power of Amazon’s secure cloud, we have decided to no longer support this feature.”

The primary reason given for this change is the integration of generative AI capabilities, which Amazon claims require more computational power than Echo devices can provide on their own.

The Rise of Alexa+

This update comes in conjunction with the upcoming release of Alexa+, a more advanced, AI-powered version of Amazon’s voice assistant. Set to launch later in 2025, Alexa+ is designed to be more conversational, responsive, and intelligent, capable of handling complex, vague, or incomplete requests.

According to Panos Panay, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Devices & Services:

“Alexa+ is more conversational, smarter, and personalised. It understands what you mean, even if your request is half-formed or vague. This kind of AI capability requires cloud processing.”

Implications for Users

For those who enabled “Do Not Send Voice Recordings,” this marks the removal of a key privacy safeguard. As of 28th March:

All voice commands will be routed through Amazon’s servers.

Local processing will no longer be an option.

Choosing “Don’t save recordings” only prevents storage—it does not stop data transmission.

Features such as Voice ID will no longer function unless voice recordings are saved.

This change has raised concerns among users who purchased Echo devices on the understanding that their voice data could remain private and locally processed.

User Reactions and Privacy Concerns

Unsurprisingly, the announcement has led to strong reactions online. Many users and privacy advocates have voiced concerns that this move is less about advancing AI and more about expanding data collection.

Past controversies have only added to scepticism. Notably:

In 2019, Amazon admitted that human reviewers were listening to a subset of Alexa recordings.

In 2023, the company was fined $25 million in the US for unlawfully storing children's voice recordings.

For privacy-conscious consumers, this may be the final straw—prompting many to consider alternative voice assistants, such as Apple’s Siri, which offers more on-device processing, or open-source options like Mycroft AI.

What Does This Mean for UK Businesses?

The impact of this change extends well beyond individual households. UK businesses that use Echo devices in offices, meeting rooms, or customer-facing areas must now reconsider their approach. Key considerations include:

Data compliance: Industries such as finance, healthcare, and law must ensure their use of Alexa remains aligned with GDPR and other privacy regulations.

Client confidentiality: The transmission of voice data to Amazon’s servers may present risks in sensitive environments.

Operational decisions: Some organisations may choose to remove Echo devices from certain settings, or transition to alternatives that support local processing.

For professionals using Alexa in home offices—for calendar management, reminders, or productivity—the change may feel like an erosion of trust in the product.

Wider Implications for Amazon

With this move, Amazon is doubling down on its investment in generative AI and the future of smart assistants. The company hopes Alexa+ will keep it competitive with rivals such as Apple, Google, and emerging AI-native platforms.

However, this ambition comes with risks. According to Amazon, fewer than 0.03% of users had enabled the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” feature. But the broader reaction suggests that many users—whether or not they used the feature—are now questioning Alexa’s trustworthiness.

This shift could:

Accelerate user migration to platforms with stronger privacy controls.

Expose Amazon to legal scrutiny regarding user consent and transparency.

Further erode trust in voice assistants at a time when market growth is slowing.

Conclusion: A New Era for Alexa—But at What Cost?

Amazon is positioning this change as a necessary evolution—one that enables Alexa to become more powerful and intelligent. But for many users, especially those in the UK who place high value on privacy, it represents a step backward.

By eliminating local voice processing, Amazon is fundamentally altering the Echo experience. Users must now accept that all interactions with Alexa will pass through Amazon’s cloud, regardless of whether they are stored long-term.

For households, this could mean re-evaluating smart home choices. For businesses, it could trigger a review of voice assistant policies and compliance measures. And for Amazon, it’s a high-stakes gamble on the future of AI—one that could shape user trust for years to come.