The first review I ever wrote for the Gadgeteer was for the Amazon Echo Dot. With Amazon’s AI Alexa, you could use skills to do things such as turn on lights or order a pizza. Since that time Alexa has evolved. Now there are literally thousands of new skills. Some useful, others not so much. In a press release on Thursday Amazon revealed possibly its best feature yet, Alexa Skill Blueprints. Alexa Skill Blueprints allows users of Alexa to build their own personalized skills and responses using a set of easy-to-use templates.
“Alexa Skill Blueprints is an entirely new way for you to teach Alexa personalized skills just for you and your family,” said Steve Rabuchin, Vice President, Amazon Alexa. “You don’t need experience building skills or coding to get started—my family created our own jokes skill in a matter of minutes, and it’s been a blast to interact with Alexa in a totally new and personal way.”
Create personal Alexa skills in minutes
Creating your own Alexa skill and response is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
- Select your blueprint template by visiting the Alexa Skill Blueprints website.
- Unleash your creativity. Fill in the blanks, Mad Libs style.
- Use your Skill. Publish it with just a click, making the skill or response instantly available on all devices connected to your Amazon account.
At launch, there are 21 different blueprint templates available across four main categories. Fun & Games, Learning & Knowledge, At Home, and Storyteller.
I tried blueprint myself using Sci-Fi Storyteller. It was both easy and fun to use. In just a few short minutes I was able to listen to a short Sci-Fi story. Complete with far-out sound effects. And once you’ve created skills you can manage and edit them at any time on the Alexa Skill Blueprints website.
To browse the list of available blueprints and to get started creating your own skills head over to the Skill Blueprints website.
