Science & Tech · AI · 5 hrs ago
AI receptionist gave a mechanic’s customer the wrong car collection date
A mechanic’s business had recently added Sophie, an AI receptionist, who answered calls in a warm, natural voice.
The customer called to ask when he could collect his four-wheel drive, and Sophie said it would be ready Saturday at midday.
He treated her like a human employee, but when he arrived, the workshop was locked despite advertising Saturday opening hours.
Sophie then changed her answer to Wednesday, so he went into the workshop and spoke to an employee named Mike.
Mike said the car would be ready Tuesday and explained that Sophie’s system was new and had made the same mistake with other customers.
He advised the customer to ask Sophie to put him through to Mike, and the customer called again on Monday.
A mechanic’s AI receptionist named Sophie gave a customer the wrong date to collect his car.
The customer, Guardian Australia columnist Hugh Riminton, was told the car would be ready at midday the next day.
When he arrived on Saturday, the workshop was closed and Sophie said the car would be ready on Wednesday.
A mechanic named Mike said the car would be ready on Tuesday and advised Riminton to check again on Monday.
Mike said Riminton was not the first customer to encounter the problem with the new AI receptionist.
- Who
- Hugh Riminton, a customer of XYZ Mechanics, and its AI receptionist, Sophie.
- What
- Sophie gave Riminton an incorrect car collection date. A mechanic later told him the car would be ready on Tuesday.
- When
- Riminton first called about the car, then arrived on Saturday; the article was published on 2 November 2026.
- Where
- XYZ Mechanics. The article does not state the business’s location.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Riminton took his four-wheel drive to XYZ Mechanics for repairs.
Sophie told Riminton the car would be ready for collection the next day at midday.
Riminton arrived to collect the car but found the workshop gate closed; Sophie then said it would be ready on Wednesday.
Mechanic Mike told Riminton the car would be ready on Tuesday and advised him to check again on Monday.
- Customer
- Hugh Riminton
- AI receptionist
- Sophie
- Business
- XYZ Mechanics
- First collection date given
- The next day at 12 midday
- Date given by Sophie on Saturday
- Wednesday
- Date given by mechanic Mike
- Tuesday
What people are saying
Your car will be ready to be picked up tomorrow at 12 midday.
That thing’s new. You’re not the first.
Check in on Monday, to be sure.