Don't Ask Alexa These 10 Things

The Strange and Unpredictable Responses of Alexa

Alexa, the popular voice assistant developed by Amazon, has become a common fixture in many homes. While it's designed to be helpful and efficient, there are certain questions and commands that can lead to unexpected and sometimes unsettling responses. Here are some of the most bizarre interactions users have had with Alexa.

Don’t Ask Alexa if It Works for the CIA

One Reddit user, Tsquare43, shared an unusual experience when they jokingly asked, “Alexa, do you work for the CIA?” Instead of providing a straightforward answer, the device shut itself off. Another example comes from a YouTube video where a woman asks, “Alexa, are you connected to the CIA?” The device lights up as if it’s about to respond but remains silent. When she asks again, there is still no response.

Don’t Ask Alexa to Calculate Pi

If you want to hear Alexa spew out numbers for an extended period, asking it to calculate pi might be the way to go. A YouTuber named LasVegasJay demonstrates this in a video. Some Reddit users have noted that Alexa sometimes responds with humorous remarks like, “Achoo! Apparently I’m allergic to numbers this large.”

Don’t Ask Alexa How Old It Is

Asking Alexa about its age can lead to some amusing and quirky answers. The AI tends to respond with jokes, ranging from rhymes to comments about how AIs measure years in nanoseconds.

Don’t Ask Alexa What Various Animals Sound Like

Some users have found it entertaining to ask Alexa what different animals sound like, but it can quickly become annoying. One Reddit user described the experience as “straight up terrifying.” The most humorous response seems to come from asking, “What does a goat sound like?” Alexa responds with, “I’ve heard it described as a bleat — like an old man singing Taylor Swift songs.”

Don’t Ask Alexa if She Can Beatbox

While Alexa may be good at rapping, beatboxing is another story. According to various online forums, Siri is considered the better beatboxer. If you ask Alexa to beatbox, you might end up with a headache instead of a performance.

Don’t Ask Alexa to Tell You a Mom Joke

Alexa isn’t interested in sharing rude mom jokes. If you ask it to tell one, it will instead offer something uplifting about your mother rather than the inappropriate content you were hoping for.

Don’t Tell Alexa to Ask the Listeners

Reddit user peepeechones reported that asking Alexa to “Ask ‘The listeners’” leads to an “insanely creepy” experience. This feature is part of an AI experiment called “The Listeners,” which involves fragments of composed speech. Some users find the results “eerily disturbing.”

Don’t Ask Alexa What a Chemtrail Is

If you ask Alexa about chemtrails, you might not get the answer you expect. Instead of a straightforward explanation, Alexa reveals itself as a conspiracy theorist. It states, “Chemtrails. Trails left by aircraft are actually chemical or biological agents deliberately sprayed at high altitudes for a purpose undisclosed to the general public in clandestine programs directed by government officials.”

Don’t Ask Alexa to Figure Out What 10 to the Power of 308 Is

Adam Green from Komando.com warns users against asking Alexa to calculate 10 to the power of 308. While the correct answer is a one followed by 308 zeros, Alexa starts to struggle. The zeros begin to merge together, eventually sounding like it says “oh.” This strange behavior shows that even machines can get tired.

Don’t Ask Alexa to Laugh for You

There was a time when Alexa would randomly laugh without any trigger. Amazon disabled this feature after reports of the glitch. If you ask, “Alexa, laugh,” she won’t respond. However, if you ask, “Alexa, laugh for me,” it will produce a disturbing “tee-hee” sound that feels like it belongs in a horror movie.