Amazon has made changes to its Alexa leadership following the release of a high-end tablet, as the company continues to develop its devices and AI-powered services.
Amazon is reshuffling leadership in its Alexa division following the launch of its first tablets featuring the voice assistant, as the company continues to expand its AI-powered devices and services.
The company confirmed on Friday that Daniel Rausch, a 17-year Amazon veteran who has led Alexa and Echo as vice president for more than three years, will step away from the unit next month. He is expected to return in another capacity within Amazon’s devices and services division in 2027.
Amazon will appoint Aidan Marcuss, currently vice president of Fire TV, advertising and the Amazon Appstore, to lead the Alexa division. Marcuss joined Amazon from Microsoft in early 2025 and oversaw the launch of a new Fire TV Stick last month, which received mixed reviews.
Kevin Keith, a product and marketing vice president, will retain his current position while temporarily taking on Marcus’s existing responsibilities. Amazon declined to provide further details about the leadership changes.
Alexa Faces Pressure to Deliver on AI
The management reshuffle comes as Amazon works to strengthen Alexa through generative artificial intelligence. Since its launch in 2014, the voice assistant has consistently lost money for the company, according to Reuters.
Amazon has spent several years developing Alexa+, a newer version designed to handle longer prompts and provide more conversational responses. The service is central to the company’s latest device strategy, which places greater emphasis on AI capabilities.
The company unveiled its first tablet computers featuring Alexa on Thursday, positioning the new products at the higher end of its tablet range compared with its traditionally lower-priced Fire tablets.
Alexa+ Subscription Model Expands
Amazon includes Alexa+ in its Prime membership, which costs $139 annually, while customers can also access the service separately for $20 per month.
The pricing structure gives Amazon two routes to reach customers: through its existing Prime subscriber base and through people willing to pay specifically for the AI-powered assistant.
The leadership changes arrive as Amazon seeks to develop its devices business around generative AI while addressing the longstanding challenge of making Alexa financially sustainable. The company has not disclosed additional details about the reshuffle or its implications for the division’s future strategy.
The logo of Amazon’s Alexa + is displayed on a screen during an Amazon Devices launch event in New York City, U.S., February 26, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights
