It may sound like the beginning of an apocalyptic science fiction film, but Amazon Echo owners are reportedly terrified after the devices started laughing without being prompted.

The popular gadgets, which use the Alexa AI system, have reportedly been responding with a slightly unnerving laugh when owners have asked it to fulfil the simplest of tasks.

According to reports, one owner was greeted with an "evil laugh" after asking Alexa to turn the lights off, but not before she attempted to turn them back on.

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Another wrote on Twitter: "Having an office conversation about pretty confidential stuff and Alexa just laughed. Anybody else have that?"

"It didn’t chime as if we had accidentally triggered her to wake. She simply just laughed. It was really creepy."

Amazon responded the reports in a statement to The Verge, saying, “We’re aware of this and working to fix it.”

After initially being released in 2016, the Amazon Echo can perform a wide array of commands when prompted by its owner – including Amazon purchases, turning on lighting and playing songs on request.

Last year, Amazon introduced the Drop In feature, which allows users to choose who they wish to talk to through their Echo, with the feature being enabled through an intercom system.

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Lying in bed about to fall asleep when Alexa on my Amazon Echo Dot lets out a very loud and creepy laugh... there’s a good chance I get murdered tonight. — Gavin Hightower (@GavinHightower) February 26, 2018