# Callers to Washington State Government Hotline get bad joke instead

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 1, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096 "2026-03-01T02:37:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/1 "2026-03-01T02:37:32Z")

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[Washington state hotline callers hear AI voice with Spanish accent | AP News](https://apnews.com/article/washington-dol-spanish-accent-ai-3a1b8438a5674c07242a8d48c057d5a3)  
That’s right-Callers to a Washington State Department of Licensing hotline that pressed “2” for Spanish got English with a heavily Spanish accent instead.  
“An AP reporter followed prompts for Spanish-language options and was met with a voice speaking accented English that used Spanish only for numbers. “Your estimated wait time is less than ‘tres’ minutes,” the voice said”

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**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/2 "2026-03-01T02:57:01Z")

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You don’t need no stinken hotline.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/3 "2026-03-01T03:12:11Z")

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Was this the result of a stupid human, or a stupid AI?

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/4 "2026-03-01T03:14:20Z")

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According to the article it was/is an ongoing problem caused by AI.

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/5 "2026-03-01T03:18:03Z")

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How did I end up in the stupidest timeline again?

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2026, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/6 "2026-03-01T03:21:43Z")

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It resembles a cut skit from the “Airplane!” movie, doesn’t it?

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/7 "2026-03-03T04:50:31Z")

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Nash Bozard is covering this story on WTFIWWY right now, and nobody is keeping a straight face.

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**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2026, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/callers-to-washington-state-government-hotline-get-bad-joke-instead/1028096/8 "2026-03-03T05:07:34Z")

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Meanwhile, over here in Idaho, pressing 2 for Spanish transfers you to ICE.

/s

> [@Fear\_Itself](#):
>
> How did I end up in the stupidest timeline again?

We all wonder this.