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CNET senior editor Tyler Lacoma reported seeing more generic, apparently AI-generated slides in the Echo Show’s Created For You feature and described settings that can reduce them. Users can give individual slides a thumbs-down, manage Content Categories, enable Rotate Once or choose to show a photo album; Amazon has not confirmed a broader change in the supplied report.
CNET senior editor Tyler Lacoma says his Echo Show began displaying more generic, apparently AI-generated slides in the device’s Created For You feature, and he has found settings that can limit the material. The controls include rating individual slides, changing content categories, limiting how often Amazon’s slides appear, or showing a selected photo album instead.
Lacoma wrote that the slides appeared on his Echo Show over the previous week or two. Examples he described included prompts or facts about squirrels finding nuts, cornfield mazes and daylight saving time. He said the material seemed broad rather than connected to his interests, and characterized the accompanying images as poorly generated. Those are his observations of his own device, not a finding about every Echo Show or a company-wide change.
To respond to an individual slide, Lacoma recommends tapping its three-dot menu and selecting the thumbs-down option. He describes that feedback as an imperfect step that may help reduce similar content, rather than a guaranteed way to stop it. For broader adjustments, swipe down on the Show’s touchscreen, open Settings, select Display & Appearance, then go to Content Categories.
Within that menu, users can switch off categories they do not want while leaving topics they still find useful enabled. Lacoma also points to the Rotate Once setting, which he says shows Amazon’s slides only once, and to an alternative of displaying only a chosen photo album. He prefers retaining some Alexa recommendations, so the photo-only choice does not suit his own use. He reports that his changes have worked for him so far, but does not provide a controlled test or a guarantee that the same result will apply to every device.
More Control Over Echo Show Slides
The report matters to Echo Show owners who use the device as a shared screen in a kitchen or another central room. Content that appears without a user actively searching for it can shape the everyday experience of a smart display, especially when it feels unrelated to the household’s interests. The described settings give owners a way to limit unwanted topics without necessarily disabling every recommendation.
The options involve trade-offs. Turning off categories or selecting a photo-only display may reduce variety, while leaving some categories active preserves other suggestions and updates. The report does not establish that the slides are advertisements in a formal sense or explain how Amazon selects them. Lacoma suspects the content may promote Amazon podcasts or similar services, but presents that as his interpretation, not a confirmed company explanation.
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The Created For You Feature
The report appears as Amazon is announcing a new Echo Show 16, which CNET frames against Apple’s upcoming HomeView. That product news provides timing for renewed attention to smart displays, but the supplied material does not connect the new Echo model to the slides Lacoma saw. His account concerns content appearing on his own Echo Show and the device’s available display settings.
Created For You is the playback feature Lacoma identifies as the source of the slides. His article describes controls available directly on the Show’s touchscreen and says changing the settings was not as straightforward through the Alexa app. The report therefore offers a device-level workaround, rather than documenting a new Amazon policy, software release or formal announcement about generated content.
““The good news is you can control what your Echo Show, well, shows you — but you have to know what settings to change.””
— Tyler Lacoma, CNET senior editor
What Amazon Has Not Explained
The supplied report does not include a response from Amazon or confirmation that the slides Lacoma saw were generated by AI. It also does not establish whether the content is appearing more widely, which Echo Show models or software versions are affected, or whether Amazon changed the feature recently. Lacoma’s description of the material as promotional content is a personal interpretation; the report provides no company statement identifying its purpose.
It is also unclear how reliably the thumbs-down feedback or Rotate Once setting affects future slides, and whether menu labels or options vary by device. Lacoma says his settings changes reduced the unwanted material on his own Shows, but supplies no measured before-and-after results. Readers should treat the steps as reported controls, not a promise that all generated slides will disappear.
Checking for Changes on Echo Show
Lacoma says he plans to monitor his Echo Shows and report if the content or results change. For users who want to try the settings, the next step is to open Content Categories on the device, adjust the topics and slide frequency, then see whether the display better matches their preferences. Those who want no Alexa recommendations can consider the photo-album option described in the report.
No further Amazon update or product change is identified in the source material. Whether the controls work consistently across devices, or whether Amazon will clarify the slides’ origin and purpose, remains to be seen.
Key Questions
How can I reduce unwanted slides on an Echo Show?
According to CNET’s Tyler Lacoma, open the Show’s touchscreen settings, then select Display & Appearance and Content Categories. Turn off topics you do not want or adjust how often slides appear.
Can I give feedback on a single slide?
Yes. Lacoma says to tap the slide’s three-dot menu and choose the thumbs-down option. He cautions that this may help reduce similar material but is not a guaranteed fix.
What does Rotate Once do?
Lacoma describes Rotate Once as a setting that shows Amazon’s slides only once. The source does not specify whether the option behaves identically on every Echo Show model.
Can an Echo Show display only my photos?
The report says users can switch the display to a photo album of their choosing. That limits the slides to personal content, but also means giving up the other recommendations Lacoma says he still wants.
Has Amazon confirmed the slides are AI-generated ads?
No Amazon confirmation appears in the supplied report. Lacoma describes the slides as apparently AI-generated and suspects they may promote podcasts or similar services, but that suspected purpose is not confirmed.
Source: cnet.com
