Amazon launches Alexa Podcasts, an AI feature that generates full episodes from licensed news content

This article was published on May 18, 2026 Amazon has launched Alexa Podcasts, a feature that uses AI to generate entire podcast episodes on demand, narrated by two virtual co-hosts. The tool, available to Alexa+ subscribers including all Prime members, is backed by licensing deals with more than 200 news organisations including AP, Reuters, and the Washington Post Amazon has launched a feature that uses artificial intelligence to generate entire podcast episodes on demand. Called Alexa Podcasts, the tool allows users to ask Alexa+ to create a podcast on any topic, and the system will research the subject, produce a structured overview, and deliver it as an audio episode narrated by two AI-generated co-hosts in a conversational format. The feature began rolling out in the United States on 18 May 2026. It is available to Alexa+ subscribers, which includes all Amazon Prime members at no additional cost. Non-Prime users can access Alexa+ for $19.99 per month. Users initiate a podcast by asking Alexa+ to create one on a subject of their choice, anything from a historical event to a scientific concept to a current news topic. The system researches the subject using available sources, ge