Amazon Reshuffles Alexa Leadership as It Expands AI Powered Devices

Amazon has announced leadership changes in its Alexa division as it expands the voice assistant’s role in its devices and services business.

Daniel Rausch, a 17 year company veteran who has led Alexa and Echo for more than three years, will leave the unit next month. Amazon said he would return to another role within its devices and services division in 2027.

Aidan Marcuss, currently vice president of Fire TV, advertising and the Amazon Appstore, will take over Rausch’s position. Marcuss joined Amazon from Microsoft in early 2025.

Kevin Keith, a vice president responsible for product and marketing, will retain his current position while temporarily assuming Marcuss’s existing responsibilities. Amazon declined to provide further details about the changes.

The reshuffle comes a day after Amazon unveiled its first tablet computers featuring Alexa, positioning the new devices at the higher end of its tablet range.

The company has invested heavily in developing Alexa+, an upgraded assistant powered by generative artificial intelligence that can handle more complex requests and longer prompts.

Alexa+ is available through Amazon’s Prime membership, priced at $139 annually, or as a standalone service for $20 per month.

Despite its widespread use since launching in 2014, Alexa has consistently struggled to generate profits for Amazon, making the success of its newer AI products increasingly important to the company’s strategy.