GoKawiilOcado customer service reply to calendar bug report shows signs of AI generation
A blogger reported a malformed calendar invite bug to British online grocer Ocado via its customer feedback form, detailing the technical issue. The reply, signed by 'Lulu', used sycophantic phrasing, an em-dash, and language the author says didn't resemble typical human customer service responses, leading them to suspect it was AI-generated. The author responded to a subsequent satisfaction survey with 1-star ratings across all metrics.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The incident illustrates growing public suspicion that companies are using AI to handle customer complaints without disclosure, which could erode trust if customers feel their technical reports aren't reaching qualified staff. It also reflects a broader movement, referenced by the author via Professor Kate Devlin's 'AI Resist List', to publicly call out perceived low-quality or deceptive AI deployments in customer-facing roles. Whether Ocado actually used AI, and whether the bug report was truly escalated, remains unconfirmed by the company.
- A customer reported a calendar invite bug to Ocado and received a reply suspected of being AI-generated.
- Telltale signs cited include sycophantic tone, em-dash usage, and an atypical structure for customer service replies.
- The episode ties into wider efforts, like the 'AI Resist List', to publicly flag perceived poor-quality AI use in business communications.
Source: shkspr.mobi — Terence Eden, 2026-11-03
Published there as: “Just a little AI resistance, as a treat”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.