Foundering: Amazon Part 2 – The Obsessive Secrecy Around Alexa

Release Date: March 10, 2022 | Host: Bloomberg’s Brad Stone

Introduction

In the second installment of the "Amazon" series, Bloomberg's award-winning podcast Foundering delves deep into the intricate and secretive journey behind the creation of Amazon's virtual assistant, Alexa. This episode uncovers the high-stakes drama within Amazon, highlighting the company's relentless pursuit of innovation, the challenges faced in developing Alexa, and the consequential privacy controversies that ensued.

Amazon's Acquisition of Yap: The Beginning of a Secret Journey

The story begins with Jeff Adams, a computer scientist at Yap, a small startup focused on transcribing voicemail into text messages. In 2011, Adams recounts a pivotal moment when Amazon executives approached Yap with interest in acquisition.

[01:46] Jeff Adams: "We went to a show and some people from Amazon came and talked to us and they might be interested in possibly even acquiring us."

Initially skeptical about Amazon's intentions, Adams wondered about the strategic fit, especially concerning speech technology. The confidentiality surrounding the acquisition process was palpable, with Amazon insisting on secrecy.

[02:14] Jeff Adams: "They said, you know, don't ask. It's our business."

This secrecy extended to all interactions between Yap and Amazon representatives, including efforts to remain discreet during conferences and public appearances.

The Birth of Alexa: Vision and Secrecy

As the acquisition finalized, Amazon began conceptualizing what would become Alexa. Jeff Adams and his team found themselves integrated into Amazon without clear communication about their roles or the project's scope.

[04:23] Jeff Adams: "Something the size of a Coke can that's sitting on your table, and we're gonna sell this for $15, $20, and people will be able to talk to it."

Bezos envisioned Alexa as a revolutionary voice-activated device, aiming to embed Amazon further into consumers' daily lives. Greg Hart, an Amazon executive, spearheaded the project, instilling a culture of intense secrecy to ensure a surprise launch.

Overcoming Technical Challenges: Far-Field Speech Recognition

Developing Alexa was fraught with technical hurdles, notably the challenge of far-field speech recognition—enabling the device to understand commands from across a room amidst background noise.

[10:50] Jeff Adams: "We thought, you can't do that. There's too many reflective surfaces in the room that are going to mess up the audio."

Despite skepticism from Adams and his team, Greg Hart remained steadfast:

[11:27] Jeff Adams: "But he was unfazed. He said, I appreciate that, thank you for telling me, but solve it."

The project, codenamed Doppler, involved innovative approaches, including Project Amped—a clandestine data-gathering initiative that deployed Alexa devices in rented homes across the U.S. to collect diverse acoustic data for training the AI.

[12:09] Greg Hart: "The team could spend whatever they needed to break through the technical obstacles."

This intensive data collection was crucial in overcoming the far-field speech recognition barrier, a breakthrough that had eluded speech scientists for decades.

The Voice Behind Alexa: Secrecy and Selection

A pivotal aspect of Alexa's identity was its voice. Amazon meticulously selected a female voice to enhance relatability and user comfort within home environments. The process was shrouded in secrecy, involving numerous auditions and the ultimate selection of Nina Raleigh, whose identity remained undisclosed for years.

[22:40] Ahmed Bouzid: "We very quickly, early on, decided the first voice would be female... we wanted it to be a device that everybody would respond positively to."

Despite extensive efforts, the voice remained anonymous until investigative reporting suggested Raleigh as the likely candidate. This anonymity contrasted with the more public persona of voice actors like Susan Bennett, the voice of Siri.

Privacy Concerns and Controversies

While Alexa aimed to revolutionize home interaction, it inadvertently sparked significant privacy concerns. The development process involved human reviewers, including Ruthie Hopes Slatus, who listened to Alexa's recordings to improve responses. This practice was kept hidden from consumers, leading to feelings of betrayal when revealed.

[30:11] Greg Hart: "He stood on stage and promised that the privacy policy would be obviously clear."

Incidents like the Portland family's Alexa malfunction, which mistakenly sent private conversations to unintended recipients, heightened these concerns, fueling debates over surveillance and data misuse.

[35:07] Priya Anand: "It's like a horror movie... who's to say it can't happen again?"

These privacy breaches contrasted sharply with Jeff Bezos' public commitments to data stewardship, undermining customer trust and sparking widespread criticism.

Alexa's Impact and Legacy

Despite privacy issues, Alexa achieved significant market penetration, with an estimated one in three U.S. households owning a smart speaker. It solidified Amazon's reputation as an innovator, influencing competitors like Google and Apple to develop their own voice assistants. However, Alexa often fell short of Bezos' grand vision, primarily serving as a functional tool rather than the conversational companion envisioned.

[35:59] Priya Anand: "What else can Alexa mix up?"

Alexa's integration into daily life marked a paradigm shift, making Amazon a constant presence in consumers' homes and igniting ongoing debates about technology's role in privacy and personal space.

Conclusion

Foundering's exploration of Alexa reveals a complex tapestry of innovation, secrecy, and controversy. Amazon's relentless drive to create a ubiquitous voice assistant led to groundbreaking technological advancements but also significant privacy challenges. The episode underscores the delicate balance between technological progress and ethical responsibility, highlighting the profound impact Alexa has had on both the tech industry and everyday life.

As Amazon continues to expand Alexa's capabilities and influence, the lessons from its development serve as a cautionary tale about the costs of secrecy and the importance of transparency in technology.

Notable Quotes:

• Jeff Adams [01:46]: "We might be interested in possibly even acquiring us."
• Jeff Adams [02:14]: "Don't ask. It's our business."
• Jeff Adams [04:23]: "We're gonna sell this for $15, $20, and people will be able to talk to it."
• Greg Hart [11:27]: "Solve the problem."
• Ahmed Bouzid [22:40]: "We wanted it to be a device that everybody would respond positively to."
• Priya Anand [35:07]: "It's like a horror movie."

For those intrigued by the high-stakes world of tech innovation and corporate secrecy, this episode of Foundering provides an in-depth look into Amazon's strategic maneuvers and the creation of one of the most influential AI assistants of our time.