Alexa is alive!

It's quiet in the house. Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse. Suddenly you hear a woman's laughter...but where is it coming from?

No, you're (probably) not being haunted, it's just Amazon's Alexa voice assistant malfunctioning in a profoundly creepy way.

Some Alexa users have reported hearing an unprompted laugh from their smart speaker devices in the last day. The laugh is three short "Ha" sounds in a female voice that actually doesn't sound like Alexa's normal voice. It happens randomly, when nobody is using the device, or in response to request to turn on or off lights.

Amazon is aware of this and working to fix it. The company has not elaborated on what was causing the laugh or how widespread it is.

Alexa's laugh isn't the only thing that's freaking out users. Others have claimed Alexa has stopped responding to requests. One Twitter user said their Amazon Echo suddenly began listing names of local funeral homes and cemeteries, also unprompted.

Of course, when voice assistants start acting on their own, it also raises concerns about what artificial intelligence might be capable of. But it's unlikely that Alexa has become sentient and is intentionally frightening users with the laughs.

Sure, Alec Baldwin and Missy Elliott can ask Alexa to have a dance party. But soon you may be able to tell Alexa to start your car.

By now you have seen the commercial below, which shows Amazon's Echo basic features. But did you know that more advanced features are coming soon? Ford announced Wednesday at CES 2017 that its newer vehicles will work alongside Amazon's popular Echo smart speaker and its voice assistant Alexa.

The move will allow select Ford owners to make voice requests via the Echo such as "Alexa, ask MyFord Mobile to start my car," provided they're within earshot of the smart home device.
Other capabilities include the ability to turn off the car, lock or unlock the doors and check a vehicle's battery power level. The technology could also be useful for those who want to loan a car to a friend without handing over a key. A car owner could ask its Echo to unlock and start the car, even if its miles away.

The partnership will come this month to three existing electric Fords - the Fusion Electric, Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi - as a free upgrade to its built-in Sync 3 tech platform. Ford will roll it out the upgrade to more vehicles later in the year.

Eventually, Ford drivers will be able to make Alexa requests from directly within the car. For example, a driver could ask the technology to play an audio book or turn off their smart lights at home.

In addition to an Amazon Echo, eligible Ford owners will have to pair an Android device to Amazon's Alexa app. Meanwhile, iOS users are required to connect to the car with a physical cord. Drivers can tap the existing voice recognition button on their steering wheel to speak to Alexa.

By embracing voice commands, Ford intends to make it easier for drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The effort comes as motor vehicle fatalities spiked in 2015. Experts believe distracted driving is a key contributing factor.