Amazon is making a big step with Alexa as the voice wars with Google and Microsoft escalate

Amazon has started paying out cold hard cash to the developers making apps for Alexa, the virtual assistant built into the company's Echo smart speakers. The company described the program on a support webpage for Alexa developers. "We are exploring new ways to reward our developers," Amazon said on the page. "Starting May 2017, we are offering game skill developers the opportunity to earn money based on customer usage." The page doesn't say how much developers can expect to make. For now, Amazon said it is only paying developers who create game apps, or "skills," for Alexa.