Woman orders COVID test and is ‘shocked’ by what actually happens

Ordering groceries online certainly has its benefits, but that doesn’t mean it’s not entirely risk-free. We’ve all been victims of unfortunate changes at some point, whether it’s apples instead of strawberries, or perhaps decaffeinated coffee instead of regular coffee (unthinkable).

That’s exactly the situation Alberta Lynn of New York found herself in when she ordered a COVID-19 test through the grocery delivery service Uber Eats. Since there were no COVID tests at the store next door, her purchase was replaced with a very different type of test.

Lynn said News week that she “was quite shocked to see a real pregnancy test appear,” rather than the COVID test she had originally ordered. News week contacted Uber Eats for comment on this matter.

Some food replacements make sense and make sense, but others are much more questionable. Lynn believes this incident was due to Uber’s artificial intelligence (AI) system linking one test to the next, rather than the delivery driver’s discretion.

“I ordered the COVID test from Uber Eats last week before traveling to visit at-risk family members,” Lynn said. “When I first saw the override in the app, I assumed the override was just a click away from the driver.

“As a software engineer who knows how imperfect AI can be, I wish delivery apps would rely less on these imperfect AI systems and trust the judgment of their drivers more. »

In September 2023, Uber announced the launch of a new AI assistant and AI-powered shopping experience for its customers. At the time, it also announced more payment options and a feature called “Sales Alley” to showcase promotions and deals.

The goal of its new AI assistant was to help customers find the best deals while shopping and tailor them to each person, while speeding up the process.

However, it’s not quite perfect and can lead to miscommunications like this. Luckily for Lynn, she was able to get a refund for her purchase from Uber Eats, due to the confusion over the substitute item.

Following the experience, she posted about it on TikTok (@alberta.nyc) with the caption: “Uber AI replaced my COVID test with a pregnancy test.” The clip revealed a screenshot of what she originally ordered and what it was exchanged for instead.

Since being posted about her ordeal on June 19, the video has attracted a lot of attention online. He has already received over 80,400 views and over 5,800 likes on TikTok in just a few days.

Lynn regularly uses TikTok to discuss the use of AI-generated systems and how they are changing our modern landscape. However, since posting this clip on Uber Eats, she has been encouraged by the positive response received online.

She said News week: “I’ve seen quite a few comments from delivery drivers who confirmed that they don’t have much autonomy on the delivery apps, and either that they can’t cancel the replacement without getting confirmation from the user, or that they could not cancel the replacement independently.”

The TikTok video certainly amazed many people online and caused many social media users to comment on their own equally incredible experiences. Among the 130 comments on the post, one person wrote: “As an Instacart shopper, I would NEVER allow this to happen. »

Another person replied: “Same thing happened to me. »

While one comment said: “Maybe they’re trying to tell you something.”

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