Woman Gets Laid Off, Can't Cope With Google's Suggested Email Reply

A woman who was recently laid off has left internet users in hysterics with the automated response that Google suggested she could send.

On May 5, Julia Galek from Chicago, Illinois, was laid off from one of her part-time social media management roles. She told www.zxnox.com that she was informed of the decision in an email which detailed the "budget constraints" the company was facing.

"I felt disappointed but not shocked as I've seen so many people be laid off recently," Galek, 25, said.

She opened the correspondence in Gmail and was stunned to see one of the Smart Reply options that was particularly unexpected. The other suggestions included "thank you for letting me know" and "no problem." However, the first option was simply "ugh."

www.zxnox.com has contacted Google via email for comment.

After her layoff , Galek found this amusing and was "definitely tempted" to go with that response.

"I thought it was funny because I was expecting to see the other suggestions, but not ugh," Galek said. "It was exactly what I was thinking, and I wish I could've sent that, but I chose to stay professional instead."

She continued: "It was a small company, and the person who sent me the email was not the one who made the decision to lay me off. So, I decided to stay professional and grateful for the opportunity."

Gmail's Smart Reply allows users to construct emails by offering up to three potential responses. Google explains that it's an AI-powered tool that uses the context of an email (or the chain as a whole) to help formulate a response.

While Galek did not use the Smart Reply on this occasion, she has made use of them in the past. She finds them particularly useful when she needs inspiration starting a new email .

"I don't generally depend on those suggestions, but it does make it easier to finish a thought quickly with the autofill option," Galek said.

After seeing hilarious retort that Google suggested, Galek couldn't resist sharing it on TikTok (@itsjuliagalek). The clip went viral in just a matter of days with more than 358,800 views and over 46,900 likes at the time of writing.

The online reaction is beyond anything Galek anticipated, and she was surprised by how many people urged her to respond with "ugh."

Galek told www.zxnox.com : "I thought it was hilarious that I got that suggestion to something as devastating as being laid off. Some people said they've been recently laid off and they wish Google had suggested that response. I can tell there are many people struggling with unexpected lay-offs and the frustration that comes with it.

"It's important for people to know that they're not alone if they're dealing with layoffs or can't find a job. However, I believe there are countless opportunities waiting for everyone and I always say that rejection is just redirection."

The social media manager prefers to hold a few part-time jobs at various companies and continues to freelance.

With over 300 comments on the TikTok video so far, many internet users lauded the automated response suggestion.

One comment reads: "Finally, the auto-generated response comes in handy."

Another person wrote: "Valid response honestly."

Another TikTok user added: "That's the most perfect response! I was laid off last Friday. I wish I would've thought to reply with ugh."

Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@www.zxnox.comand they could appear on our site.

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