Amazon has released a new Alexa Plus feature that lets your Ring doorbell greet and chat with visitors at your front door. The feature, called Greetings, is rolling out today for Alexa Plus Early Access customers in the US and Canada.
Greetings works by combining two previously released features: Ring Video Descriptions, which uses artificial intelligence to describe what the Ring camera sees, and Alexa Plus, a beefed-up version of Alexa built on top of a large language model.
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“Ring’s camera determines who’s there based on what they’re wearing, holding, or their actions,” an Amazon spokesperson said in an announcement. “Alexa uses this visual context, any information the visitor shares, and the instructions it’s been given.”
You can customize what Greetings says, so that the doorbell can manage interactions on your behalf. Using the Ring Video Descriptions, the camera can detect what a visitor is wearing, such as a delivery uniform, and steer the conversation accordingly.
One of the examples Amazon provided is to ask delivery drivers to leave packages out of sight or by the back door, instead of leaving them on the front porch. Another example the company provided was to politely let solicitors know that you’re not interested.
Or, if a friend stops by while you’re busy, your doorbell can let them know you’re unavailable and ask if they’d like to leave a message. Greetings is also set up for follow-up questions, such as when you’ll be available to talk or if the delivery driver will need an access code to enter the backyard.
The announcement also mentions that Greetings can manage interactions with home visitors without revealing whether you’re home or not. Greetings doorbell interactions are separate from other smart home controls.
The new feature is available for Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (3rd Gen) and Ring Wired Doorbell Plus (2nd Gen) with Ring Premium Plan and Video Descriptions enabled. You’ll need to purchase a Ring subscription before you can set up your doorbell to communicate with visitors at your front door.
