Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Amazon’s SVP of devices, Alexa and Leo, Panos Panay joins Arjun Kharpal to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the company’s hardware strategy, from Alexa and Echo devices to wearables, smart glasses, robotaxis and satellites.
Panay explains why Amazon sees AI devices less as a single new gadget and more as an ambient system that follows users across the home, on the go and eventually into the car. He says Alexa Plus marks a shift away from the old voice-assistant model, where users had to speak in specific commands, toward a more contextual assistant that can remember preferences, understand routines and act more proactively.
He also discusses Amazon’s approach to future AI hardware, including why the company is not currently planning to build a smartphone but is exploring new device categories beyond screens and apps. Panay says the future of AI interaction will be built around conversation, context and choice rather than one dominant form factor.
The conversation also looks at Amazon’s broader physical AI ambitions, including Zoox, Amazon Leo and the company’s growing focus on custom silicon. Panay explains how chips, cloud infrastructure, satellite connectivity and consumer devices could become more closely connected as AI moves between the cloud and the edge.
He also addresses privacy and trust, arguing that customers need control over what AI assistants remember and how much they are allowed to do on a user’s behalf.
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Amazon’s SVP of devices, Alexa and Leo, Panos Panay joins Arjun Kharpal to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping the company’s hardware strategy, from Alexa and Echo devices to wearables, smart glasses, robotaxis and satellites.
Panay explains why Amazon sees AI devices less as a single new gadget and more as an ambient system that follows users across the home, on the go and eventually into the car. He says Alexa Plus marks a shift away from the old voice-assistant model, where users had to speak in specific commands, toward a more contextual assistant that can remember preferences, understand routines and act more proactively.
He also discusses Amazon’s approach to future AI hardware, including why the company is not currently planning to build a smartphone but is exploring new device categories beyond screens and apps. Panay says the future of AI interaction will be built around conversation, context and choice rather than one dominant form factor.
The conversation also looks at Amazon’s broader physical AI ambitions, including Zoox, Amazon Leo and the company’s growing focus on custom silicon. Panay explains how chips, cloud infrastructure, satellite connectivity and consumer devices could become more closely connected as AI moves between the cloud and the edge.
He also addresses privacy and trust, arguing that customers need control over what AI assistants remember and how much they are allowed to do on a user’s behalf.
Subscribe to “The Tech Download” wherever you get your podcasts.
#CNBC #CNBCPodcast #TheTechDownload
-----
Subscribe: @cnbci
CNBC International Live: @cnbcinternationalive
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/cnbc
TikTok: tiktok.com/@cnbc
Facebook: facebook.com/cnbc
Instagram: instagram.com/cnbc
Threads: threads.net/@cnbc
X: twitter.com/CNBC
Telegram: https://t.me/cnbc
