They answer questions, play music, and even control your lights. But every so often, smart devices take a wrong turn and remind us they are far from perfect. Here are some strange moments when tech missed the mark.

The Dollhouse Incident

In 2017, a San Diego news anchor reported on a little girl who ordered a dollhouse through Alexa. When he repeated the story on air, viewers at home found their own devices suddenly trying to buy dollhouses too. Alexa was a little too eager to shop.

The Creepy Laugh

Also in 2017, Alexa developed an unnerving habit: bursting into laughter for no reason. Some people swore they heard it in the middle of the night, with no one around. Amazon later admitted the laugh command was too easily triggered and patched it. 

Siri’s Emergency Call

Siri is meant to help in a crisis, but sometimes she invents emergencies. One man discovered this when his iPhone misheard noises while he worked on his car and promptly dialed 911. Telling police your phone did it may have been a tough sell.

Google Home Goes Philosophical

At a dinner party, someone asked their Google Home about the meaning of life. The device misheard and launched into a lecture on the afterlife. Guests weren’t sure if they’d stumbled into philosophy class or a séance.

These gadgets are clever, but not flawless. They mishear, they overreact, and sometimes they try a little too hard to be part of the conversation. 

Curious about keeping your devices from misbehaving? See How to Stay Private in a World That’s Always Listening.