Google Assistant ruins woman’s dream job interview on Zoom by randomly reading a Wikipedia article

Google

A woman’s dream job interview turned into a nightmare after her Google Assistant decided to chime in — right in the middle of the conversation.

In a post shared on the r/womenintech subreddit, user ticketsstardom_4l recounted how her phone’s voice assistant unexpectedly activated during a Zoom interview and began loudly reading a random Wikipedia article.

“I had a Zoom interview for a job I really wanted,” she wrote. “Suddenly, the Google Assistant on my phone decided to activate on its own and started reading a Wikipedia article about something completely random out loud.”

The incident reportedly happened while the hiring manager was on the call, leaving both parties stunned. The woman said she tried desperately to mute the phone, first by talking over it, then by fumbling to unlock it — and finally shoving it under a sofa cushion to muffle the sound.

But by then, the damage was done. “My brain just shut down… I completely lost focus,” she wrote. “The rest of the interview was just me stuttering and getting flustered.”

The Reddit post quickly went viral, drawing sympathy, laughter, and a flood of similar “technology betrayal” stories from users. Some commenters shared how their Alexa or Siri had spoken up during client calls or presentations, while others reassured her that recruiters understand such accidents happen.

One user commented, “If anything, the hiring manager probably has a good story to tell now — and will remember you for life.” Another added, “You didn’t fail the interview. Google Assistant failed you.”

While there’s no word yet on whether she landed the job, her post struck a chord with anyone who has ever been embarrassed by an over-eager smart assistant.

Technology may be smart, but sometimes it still doesn’t know when to stay quiet.