Amazon's Lex framework just got easier for developers (AMZN)

Amazonunveiledthe ability to seamlessly export a bot created with its Lex framework into the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK). This means a chatbot built on Lex can now be turned into an Alexa skill for use on any of the Alexa-enabled devices. The new functionality is likely a play by Amazon to simplify Alexa skill development to further advance the platform.

By making it easier for developers to create skills for Alexa, Amazon may advance the speed at which these skills are developed. Amazon’s Alexa had surpassed 20,000 skills (voice apps) in the US as of August 30, up from 15,000 skills two months prior.

As the race to build the most intelligent assistant heats up, streamlining the Alexa skill development process bodes well for Amazon’s long-term success:

There will be more voice- and chat-enabled apps.
Adoption of Amazon's Alexa could grow.
It will likely narrow the competition with rival voice assistants.

Amazon has been working extensively to simplify the Alexa skill development process. On Tuesday, Amazon rolled out a public beta of its Skills Management AP, the Alexa Skills Command-Line Protocol, and Events to the ASK to aid developers in building, testing, and launching Alexa skills. As voice becomes an increasingly important tool for how consumers engage with devices — by 2020, the voice assistant device base is expected to grow to more than 7 billion — it will be crucial for Amazon to ensure Alexa is as useful as possible in order to pull ahead of competition in the voice-activated ecosystem.

Advancements in a bevy of industries are helping intelligent digital voice assistants like Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa become more sophisticated and useful pieces of technology.

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are allowing them to accurately understand more information, while upgrades to mobile networks are facilitating quick transfers of data to robust clouds, enabling fast response times. In addition, the swell of internet connected devices like smart thermostats and speakers is giving voice assistants more utility in a connected consumer's life.

However, there are still numerous barriers that need to be overcome before this product platform will see mass adoption, as both technological challenges and societal hurdles persist.

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