If you own an Echo device, then you’ve probably heard about the many Alexa issues that have been reported this morning. The virtual assistant is based on Amazon’s artificial intelligence technology. While the device can be tricky to detect, you can tell that the microphone is off by seeing a solid red ring on the exterior of the device. In addition to the speaker’s red color, Alexa also displays a warning message when it is not functioning correctly.
The first Alexa issue involved the wake word, which has caused a number of women to feel dehumanized. A Facebook group, Alexa is a Human, was created in response to the teasing. The group has since been able to generate enough interest to start a petition campaign to have Alexa remove the wake word. One user of the service, Alexa S., also reported seeing a decal on a car that featured the obscene command 2020. However, Amazon was unable to comment on the products’ impact on the Alexa brand.
Another Alexa issue has to do with calling. When you ask Alexa to make a call, she may not respond to your voice, particularly if you forget to say the contact’s name. Additionally, it may not respond to commands like volume and speed. In this case, you might have to manually input the name of the person you’re calling. If you have a good internet connection, you can ask Alexa to make a call to that person.
