7 Game-Changing AWS Announcements from What’s Next 2026

During the What’s Next with AWS event, CEO Matt Garman, SVP Colleen Aubrey, CMO Julia White, and OpenAI leaders took the stage to reveal how agents are reshaping business operations. The announcements centered on two major expansions: Amazon Quick, an AI assistant for work, and Amazon Connect, which evolved into four specialized agentic AI solutions. Below, we break down the seven biggest updates from the event—each designed to help organizations work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

1. Amazon Quick: Your New AI Work Assistant

Amazon Quick is an AI-powered assistant that connects to all your work tools, learns your priorities, and takes action for you. From scheduling to data retrieval, Quick acts as an intelligent layer across your digital workspace. Starting today, you can access Quick through a new desktop app, choose from Free or Plus pricing plans, generate visual assets directly in chat, and integrate with even more applications. This isn’t just another chatbot—it’s a proactive teammate that understands context and executes tasks without manual effort.

2. Quick Gets a Dedicated Desktop App (Preview)

The new desktop app brings Quick right to your computer, eliminating the need for a browser. It stays connected to your local files, calendar, and communications, offering a seamless, personalized experience. Whether you’re drafting emails, pulling up meeting notes, or checking your schedule, Quick is always available—no tab switching required. This preview marks a significant step toward making AI an integral part of your daily workflow.

3. Free and Plus Plans Make Quick Accessible to Everyone

Quick is now available to anyone with an email address—no AWS account needed. You can sign up in minutes using your Google, Apple, GitHub, or Amazon credentials. The Free plan provides core features, while the Plus plan unlocks advanced capabilities like priority support and higher usage limits. This low barrier to entry means individuals and teams can start benefiting from AI assistance immediately, scaling up as their needs grow.

4. Generate Stunning Visuals Directly from Chat

With Quick, you can now create polished documents, presentations, infographics, and images right within the chat interface—no design skills needed. Just describe what you want, and Quick generates a professional visual. This feature, available today, saves hours of formatting and editing, allowing you to focus on content and strategy. It’s a game-changer for teams that need rapid, high-quality visuals for reports, pitches, or internal communication.

5. Quick Connects with More Apps You Use Daily

Quick’s native integrations have expanded to include Google Workspace, Zoom, Airtable, Dropbox, and Microsoft Teams. This means you can bring your data from these tools directly into Quick conversations, streamlining workflows across platforms. Whether you’re pulling files from Dropbox or scheduling a Zoom meeting from a chat, Quick acts as a central hub. More integrations are on the way, making it easier to connect Quick to the apps your business already relies on.

6. Build Custom Apps Without Writing Code (Preview)

Using natural language, you can now create intelligent apps, dashboards, and web pages that are deeply connected to your business data. Quick’s custom app builder lets anyone—technical or not—design tools that automate processes, visualize data, and integrate with existing systems. For example, you could build a project tracker that pulls tasks from your calendar and updates automatically. This preview opens the door to endless customization, empowering teams to solve their unique challenges without developer help.

7. Amazon Connect Evolves into Four Specialized AI Solutions

Amazon Connect is no longer a single product—it’s now a suite of four agentic AI solutions that embed into your existing workflows. Each solution tackles a specific domain:

• Amazon Connect Decisions: A supply chain planning and intelligence tool combining 30 years of Amazon operational science with 25+ specialized tools. It moves teams from reactive crisis management to proactive, data-driven decision-making.
• Amazon Connect Talent (Preview): An AI hiring solution that automates interviews, assessments, and evaluations. It helps recruiters hire high-quality candidates faster while reducing human bias—applicants get a flexible, consistent experience.
• Amazon Connect Customer: Formerly known as Amazon Connect, this solution delivers personalized customer experiences across voice, chat, and digital channels. New configuration tools allow setup in weeks, not months, with no technical expertise needed.
• Amazon Connect Health: Aimed at healthcare, this solution helps providers optimize operations, patient engagement, and compliance—bringing agentic AI into medical workflows.

Together, these four solutions represent a major shift from a single contact center platform to a versatile AI-powered ecosystem.

Conclusion

The What’s Next with AWS event made one thing clear: the future of work is agentic. With Amazon Quick becoming a universal AI assistant and Amazon Connect expanding into domain-specific solutions, AWS is putting powerful tools directly into the hands of employees and businesses. Whether you’re streamlining daily tasks with Quick or transforming supply chains and hiring with Connect, these announcements signal a new era where AI doesn’t just assist—it takes action. Be sure to explore the previews and pricing plans to start benefiting today.