Amazon Lex is a cloud-based service that allows developers to build conversational interfaces into any application using voice and text. It is the underlying platform that powers Alexa and allows third parties to create "skills" that add functionality. Lex differs from Alexa in that it is not a consumer product itself, but a platform that can be integrated in various ways through SDKs and APIs. The document provides an overview of Lex and how it compares to Alexa, demonstrating how to build a basic bot and connect Lex to a phone number using the Nexmo API.

1. AMAZON LEX
SOUTH WALES AWS USER GROUP

2. SAM MACHIN
DEVELOPER ADVOCATE
SAM.MACHIN@VONAGE.COM
@SAMMACHIN

5. ALEXA IS AMAZON’S CLOUD-BASED VOICE SERVICE.
▸ Alexa can be accessed from either Amazon or 3rd Party
hardware or apps.
▸ Alexa is linked to one or more Amazon accounts.
▸ Echo is to Alexa as iPhone is to Siri
▸ Alexa is not really part of AWS

6. ALEXA IS A CONSUMER PRODUCT & BRAND
▸ Users know they’re talking to Alexa and they already have
a ‘relationship’ with her.
▸ Alexa knows who a user is as they have linked their device
to their amazon account.

7. ALEXA HAS SKILLS
▸ The Alexa service has a number of built in features, such as
shopping lists, jokes, alarms, general knowledge etc.
▸ 3rd parties can then create skills (apps) to provide
additional functionality on the Alexa platform
▸ Every Alexa device is able to access the full range of skills
▸ A skill doesn’t know which device accessed it just the user
account.

8. ALEXA DEVICES

9. WHAT ABOUT LEX?

10. OVERVIEW
▸ Lex was announced at ReInvent 2016 in Preview
▸ General Availability April 2017 (US East)
▸ Platform for conversational applications
▸ Lex is Whats inside Alexa

11. HOW TO TALK TO LEX
▸ Supports Both Speech and Text interfaces
▸ Bring your own access method or device
▸ SDKs for Android & iOS
▸ REST Endpoints
▸ Channel Integrations, Slack, Facebook, etc.

12. PLATFORM NOT A PRODUCT
▸ Lex is the underlying platform which the bots run on.
▸ Users don’t know its Lex
▸ Support for multiple voices via Polly
▸ Because its bring your own access there is no wake word
▸ Lex is part of AWS

13. LEX ALEXA
‣ Speech or Text Interface
‣ Multiple Voices available
‣ Single Function ‘Bots’
‣ Build your own client
‣ Integration with 3rd parties (Facebook)
‣ Speech Only
‣ Single Voice
‣ Platform for multiple Skills
‣ Available on all devices

14. LEX ALEXA
Alexa Devices
Alexa Skills
Bot/Skill
Lex
Messenger
Bot/Skill
Lex
Phone SMS
Bot/Skill
Lex

15. LETS BUILD A BOT
https://github.com/nexmo-community/lex-first-bot

16. CONNECT LEX TO A PHONE
CALL WITH NEXMO
https://developer.nexmo.com/voice/voice-api/guides/
connecting-voice-calls-to-amazon-lex-bots

17. QUESTIONS?
@SAMMACHIN
THANK
YOU