Amazon is designing end-to-end silicon for its consumer devices, with custom AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips already in production for Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, and Fire TV, according to Panos Panay, the company's head of devices and services. The chips feature on-device AI accelerators that enable faster processing and enhanced contextual awareness without relying on cloud processing.
The move mirrors Apple's strategy of controlling the hardware-software stack for tighter integration. Panay said the company is shifting toward ambient intelligence where conversation and context matter more than apps and screens, and Amazon has a "whole roadmap of on-the-go devices" coming soon.
For architects, this signals Amazon's commitment to edge AI in consumer hardware as it competes with Apple and Google. The AZ3 Pro powers Omnisense, which enables the Echo Show to recognize users approaching and proactively deliver personalized alerts and visual responses. Custom silicon gives Amazon control over latency, privacy, and ecosystem lock-in—particularly important as Alexa+ (the AI-powered assistant) scales.