It seems as though Amazon is trying out a new “Brief Mode” for Alexa. The new mode results in Alexa talking less by replacing some of Alexa’s verbal confirmations with beeps. Instead of replying “Okay” after being asked to change the state of a smart home device, with Brief Mode enabled, Alexa performs the requested action and responds with a confirmation chime.
It’s unclear at this point if Alexa’s new Brief Mode is already starting to roll out to devices or if it accidentally became available to the public. Several people on reddit have reported receiving the new capability on some of their Echo devices, but some say the new ability disappeared a few hours later.
Those who received access to Brief Mode say that Alexa verbally informed them of the new capability after they asked the voice assistant to control lights. If Amazon rolls the feature out to everyone, it seems as though they plan for it to be the new default behavior for Alexa, since it’s automatically being turned on.
An option to turn Brief Mode on or off has not appeared in the Alexa app. This could explain why the feature is disappearing from devices that have received it in the past. While Alexa may be ready to switch into Brief Mode, an update to the Alexa app that lets you control Brief Mode may not be as ready.
Update
3/14/18
It appears as though “Brief Mode” is starting to be rolled out to more devices. There is now a toggle to turn Brief Mode on or off in the Alexa app. It’s located at the very bottom of the settings area under a new “Alexa Voice Responses” section. 
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I hope they roll this out to everyone. Solves the problem of turning the lights off late at night and having Alexa scream “OK”!
I know, right?!
Lol!
Yeah they work hard to improve the tech so we can softly whisper goodnight but Alexa’s voice is so loud you might as well just speak up.
Lol. I’m with ya on this one. I always have to remember to say, “Alexa, volume 2!” before asking her to turn off the lights.
no they should adopt the google home nite mode
you can set a time range when you want the volume (and led’s which i find useless) to be lower
say volume 2 or 3 between 11 pm and 9 am for example
Yes yes yes
Haha…EXACTLY!!
You all are way too comfortable becoming slaves to technology. It’s ok to let a big tech company become a permanent spy in your house? They don’t even downplay it. The price of privacy and freedom is way too high for most of us.
Amazon certainly says and it can be confirmed that the only audio sent to Amazon is done after saying the “Wake Word” which is usually “Alexa.” You can have a long discussion with a friend next to your Echo and unless one of you says “Alexa” (or something close to it) the conversation is not being sent to anyone.
Better get rid of that smart phone
Why are you worried about her listing? Are you affraid she might hear something? What are you doing that is such a seceret?
I hope this means Alexa shuts her trap trying to be cute and tell me about stories I have absolutely no interest in.
Less is more – I want the information I asked for. When using “What’s up”, please just give me the weather and what is next on my schedule – nothing more. I don’t care about celebrity birthdays, sports scores or her weird story of day. Initially she was brief and to the point – now they are trying to give her a personality and it’s a big fail.
I got prompted by Alexa tonight to enable Brief Mode. It also mentioned that you can enable/disable it in the Alexa app under ‘Alexa Voice Responses’. I checked my app and, sure enough, there it is, at the bottom of the Settings window.
just had this work on my old Alexa. ig Google Home doesn’t start doing the same thing doon it’s found back in the box.
I don’t have that option on my app?
google home is ok the way it is. It has night mode so it doesn’t need brief mode. Night mode lets you set the brightness and loudness of google home and what times you want it to work.