Amazon is stepping up its smart home game with a brand-new feature called Greetings, which brings conversational AI to select Ring doorbells through the Alexa+ service. This new upgrade allows your doorbell to do more than just alert you — it can now talk to visitors, manage deliveries, and even politely turn away salespeople when you’re not around.
How the New Greetings Feature Works
With Greetings, your Ring doorbell becomes smarter and more interactive. Instead of just sending you a video notification when someone shows up, Alexa+ now enables your doorbell to:
- Recognise the type of visitor based on their clothes, actions, or what they’re carrying
- Respond differently based on who’s at the door
- Help you automate interactions when you’re not home or too busy to answer
Here are a few real-life scenarios where the feature shines:
- Package Deliveries: If Alexa sees someone in a delivery uniform, it will follow your set instructions — like telling them to leave the package near a bench or even offering them water or snacks.
- Salespeople or Service Staff: If someone shows up selling something, Alexa can politely tell them you’re not interested — without you ever needing to get involved.
- Friends and Family: If a familiar face stops by while you’re out, Alexa can greet them and ask them to leave a message, which you’ll receive later.
Custom Settings for Smarter Control
The feature gives users detailed control over how Alexa responds:
- Specify where packages should be dropped off
- Offer messages for different visitor types
- Ask delivery folks when they can return if a signature is needed
- Automatically pass along visitor messages to you
But What If Alexa Gets It Wrong?
There is a catch. Since Alexa+ uses visual clues (like clothing or actions) — not facial recognition — to decide who someone is, it can misinterpret situations. For example:
- A friend in a delivery uniform might be treated as a courier
- Someone carrying a box might trigger a delivery response even if they’re just bringing you a gift
This isn’t the first time Ring has walked a fine line on privacy and accuracy. Earlier, it introduced a Familiar Faces feature that lets users label up to 50 regular visitors. While that does identify individuals, Greetings does not — it simply interprets what’s happening in front of the camera to decide how to respond.
Which Ring Devices Support the Greetings Feature?
Currently, Greetings is only available for:
- Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (3rd Gen)
- Ring Wired Doorbell Plus (2nd Gen)
It’s also only accessible to users on the Ring Premium Plan, and you’ll need to have video descriptions turned on in your Ring settings. For now, it’s rolling out to Alexa+ Early Access customers in the U.S. and Canada.
Why This Matters
This move reflects Amazon’s growing push to integrate AI-powered automation into daily life. It turns your front door into a smart assistant — capable of making decisions, managing tasks, and even helping visitors — all without needing your direct input every time.
It could be a huge convenience for busy users, especially those who receive frequent deliveries or want smarter home security. But it also raises questions around accuracy, privacy, and potential miscommunication.
With Greetings, Amazon is pushing the boundaries of what a doorbell can do — moving beyond simple video feeds to AI-based interactions. While the idea is convenient and forward-thinking, it also comes with challenges around misidentification and user trust. For smart home fans who want a more hands-off way to manage visitors, though, this might be one of the most practical AI features yet.
FAQs
Q. What is the new Greetings feature on Ring doorbells?
Greetings is an Alexa+ feature that allows Ring doorbells to respond to visitors using conversational AI, based on their appearance and actions.
Q. Which Ring devices support the Greetings feature?
Only Ring Wired Doorbell Pro (3rd Gen) and Ring Wired Doorbell Plus (2nd Gen) support the Greetings feature.
Q. Do I need a subscription to use Greetings on my Ring doorbell?
Yes, the feature is available only to users on the Ring Premium Plan with video descriptions enabled.
Q. Can the AI misidentify people at the door?
Yes, since it uses visual cues and not facial recognition, it may sometimes respond incorrectly — like mistaking a friend for a delivery person.
Q. Is this available outside the U.S. and Canada?
No, the feature is currently limited to Alexa+ Early Access users in the U.S. and Canada.
