PALO ALTO — By Emily Patel, AI Bee Reel Staff

February 5, 2026

SEATTLE, WA — The Henderson family spent Tuesday evening huddled in total darkness, unable to locate their dinner plates or the bathroom, after their monthly "Alexa+ Illumination" subscription expired during the appetizer course. The smart bulbs, now locked behind a paywall, refused to emit photons until a valid credit card was updated on the main account.

"We gave away visibility for free for too long," said Brad Stone, VP of Monetized Living. "Now, seeing your children is a premium feature. Unfortunately, Amazon’s free early access is now over, and we believe users should pay fair market value for the ability to not stub their toes on the coffee table."

"Most users actually love the ad-supported blackout mode," explained Product Lead Jessica Void. "If you don’t want to pay the monthly fee, you can simply listen to a loud, 30-second ad for detergent to earn five minutes of dim light. It builds anticipation." Meanwhile, father Tom Henderson was seen trying to light a scented candle using the heat from his overheating Wi-Fi router.

At press time, the Hendersons were reportedly negotiating a "Oxygen+ Basic" plan after the smart thermostat sensed they were breathing too freely without a premium tier.

Inspired by the real story: Amazon is finally ending the free preview period for its new AI-powered Alexa features and will start charging users. Read the full story.