Amazon is making a significant change to how Alexa handles voice commands, a move that could frustrate privacy-conscious users. Starting March 28, Amazon will eliminate the option for certain Echo devices to process voice commands locally, forcing all spoken requests to be sent to the cloud for analysis.

The company has not made an official public announcement, but users who enabled the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” setting have already received emails notifying them of the change. Many took to social media over the weekend, expressing frustration over the forced transition.

Previously, some Echo models—such as the 4th-gen Echo Dot, Echo Show 10, and Show 15—allowed users to process voice commands on the device itself. However, Amazon has now decided that all Alexa interactions will rely on its cloud infrastructure, citing the increased processing power required for new generative AI features.

In its email to users, Amazon stated that it will automatically update Alexa settings to “Don’t save recordings” for those who had previously disabled cloud processing. While this adjustment prevents Amazon from storing voice data long-term, it also disables features such as voice ID recognition and personalized responses. Essentially, users must now choose between a more limited Alexa experience or allowing Amazon to retain voice recordings for enhanced functionality.

Amazon maintains that the change will not come at the expense of privacy, asserting that the update is part of its long-term vision for AI-driven voice assistants. Critics, however, say the change further undermines user control over their data.

Even prior to this update, Amazon kept transcripts of voice interactions in the cloud, even though there was a local processing option available. With this latest development, all commands users issue to Alexa will be remotely analyzed, further fueling concerns over data privacy.

Amazon calls the update a necessary step to improve Alexa’s skills. However, this change means users have fewer choices. If you prefer processing to happen directly on your device, you’ll need to decide if you want to continue with Alexa under these new rules or find another voice assistant with better privacy controls. As AI assistants keep getting better, it’s becoming tougher to ignore the balance between how easy they make things and how safe your data is.