Google Tests "Ask for Me" AI Feature to Make Phone Calls on Users' Behalf

This Experimental Google Feature Lets You Send Robocalls to Local Businesses

Nervous about calling for a haircut? Google thinks you might want AI to do it for you. Usually, it's the businesses that are behind robocalls, but if you work at a nail salon or an auto repair shop, get ready for customers to start sending hordes of AI Karens your way. Google's latest experimental AI feature, available to those who sign up for "Ask for me" on Google Search Labs, is aiming to be a sort of personal AI secretary for you. Once enabled, it'll pop up an "Ask for me" button under certain searches, promising to call local shops for you to help you figure out availability, service costs, and the like. Clicking the "Ask for me" button will take you to a form, where you'll fill out, for example, the make and model of your car, what services you need, and when you can come in. Google will then canvass local shops (there doesn't seem to be an option to send a call only to a specific shop) and then email or text you back with results. On their end, business owners will hear a message at the start of every call indicating that it's an automated system calling on behalf of a potential customer, Google spokesperson Craig Ewer told The Verge. If that sounds annoying, business owners can opt out, either within their Google Business Profile settings or by simply telling the AI not to call them back. For those that decide to humor the robocalls, Ewer told The Verge that Google is doing its best to ensure businesses don't get overloaded with calls, and will use information collected from prior calls to help answer future ones without bothering an employee. Over on X, Google product lead Rose Yao said Ask for me is powered by Duplex, an existing Google feature that (mostly) uses AI to make reservations on your behalf, but it's more geared towards research than actually booking anything. As it's still experimental, it's limited to nail salons and auto shops for now, though it could presumably expand in the future. As someone with social anxiety, I can see the surface level appeal here, although I'm not sure I'd ever want to commit the sin of making someone else talk to a robot.

Google's latest experiment calls local businesses to check prices and book services for you

Currently available in the US for select services, the experiment has limited capacity, and businesses can opt out of receiving AI calls. Google is rolling out a new AI-powered experimental feature called "Ask for Me" through its Search Labs platform. The feature aims to automate phone inquiries to local businesses for price and availability checks, saving users the hassle of dialing themselves. The tool allows Google's AI to call businesses on behalf of users, gathering information on service pricing and availability. It will be available in the US for English-language queries like "oil change near me" or "nail salons nearby" on Google Search for desktop or mobile. After entering service details, the AI makes calls and then provides a summary of its findings. Google VP Rose Yao announced the experimental tool in an X (formerly Twitter) thread. It currently supports select services: oil changes, tire and brake replacements, emissions tests, and manicure/pedicure appointments. The tool relies on the same Duplex technology already used for restaurant reservations via Search and Maps, which also helps businesses update online details like operating hours. Yao noted this system proved critical during the pandemic when frequent changes to store hours left customers confused. Businesses can opt out of receiving AI-generated calls, and Google states it "clearly discloses" when a call is automated. While the feature promises time-saving convenience, we'll have to see how smoothly the AI handles calls with poor audio quality, strong accents, or unexpected responses. If you're in the US and want to test it out, you can opt in through Search Labs and try searching for something like "oil change near me."

Google's new 'Ask For Me' AI tool calls businesses to get your questions answered

Hate calling a business to ask about pricing? A new Google feature can handle that for you. A feature called "Ask for Me" has popped up under the AI experiments category in Google Labs. Instead of calling a company yourself, you can let Google's AI do it for you, handling tasks like finding the best price and checking product availability. When you use Ask for Me, a realistic-sounding AI will contact businesses, compile options, and get back to you within 30 minutes. It works much like the Duplex feature from 2019, which would call a restaurant for you to place a reservation. Also: Google's new AI tool is changing the way teams work and organize research The feature is in an experimental phase, Google warns, and isn't available for all service types. Google didn't specify exactly which services it is available for, but images only show requests for auto maintenance and nail salon pricing. The description says it's for "local services like 'oil change' or 'nail salons nearby,'" so it's possible that's it for now. Ask for Me works in either the Chrome web browser for desktop or mobile. It's not fully open to the public yet, so you'll need to head to the Ask for me page on Google Labs to join the waitlist. In example images, Google shows how the feature works. When you search for an eligible business, an "Ask for Me" button will appear. Tap it, and you'll see options to choose from. The auto service business shows choices like tire rotation, filter replacement, tire balancing, oil change, and scheduled maintenance. The nail salon shows choices like nail art, gel manicure, acrylic manicure, dip powder, or polish change. Also: Gemini's Deep Research browses the web for you - try the Android app now for free Given how common robocalls are these days, you have to wonder if businesses will take the time to talk to a robot, especially when the feature is so new. Call screening is my favorite thing about owning a Google Pixel, and I still find that a lot of people are hesitant to talk to a computer.

Google's new feature uses AI to call businesses on the phone for you

Hate calling people on the phone? Google will do it for you. Google is testing out a new tool that allows artificial intelligence to make calls to businesses to ask questions for you. "Ask for Me" is a feature that will get information on details such as pricing and service availability. However, for now, it's only available for nail salons and auto shops, Google product lead Rose Yao said in a post on X. Once you opt into the experiment on Google Search Labs, when you search for nail salons or auto shops you might be prompted with an "Ask for Me" prompt. From there, you'd select it and answer a series of questions -- such as what kind of car you have, what service you need to get done and when you would want the appointment to be. You'll also provide your email and phone number to receive updates about the request. Google spokesperson Craig Ewer told The Verge that with "Ask for Me," "every call begins by announcing that it's an automated system calling from Google on behalf of a user." Ewer told The Verge that there are call quotas in place to ensure that businesses don't get automated calls from Google too much. He said that any information collected on the call "can be used to help with similar requests from other users." Businesses that don't want to receive these automated calls can opt-out in their Google Business Profile settings or by telling Google when they receive a call. Users who enable the feature might hit a waitlist since capacity is limited during the experiment, Yao clarified. She added that "Ask for Me" is built using the same Duplex tech that uses AI to make restaurant reservations via Search or Maps as well as help businesses keep details, like store hours, updated on Maps.

Google's 'Ask for Me' feature calls businesses on your behalf to inquire about services, pricing | TechCrunch

Google is testing a new "Ask for Me" feature that uses AI to call local businesses on your behalf, for information about availability and pricing. The feature is available on desktop and mobile for users who have opted into the company's Search Labs experiments. The idea is to help users access information without having to actually pick up the phone and talk to someone. To start, Ask for Me can be used to inquire about services at nail salons and auto shops. If you are enrolled in Search Labs, you can access the new feature by searching for local services like "oil change" or "nail salons nearby." You will then see an "Ask for me" option with a "Get started" button. You're then prompted enter details about that service, such as a "tire replacement," "factory scheduled maintenance," "french manicure," "nail art," and more. From there, you can enter information about timeframe. Google's AI will then make calls to local businesses on your behalf and send you a summary of prices and availability. The launch comes as Google has been looking for ways to help users save time when contacting businesses with the help of AI. Last year, the company released a feature called "Talk to a Live Rep" that places a call to a business on your behalf, waits on hold, and then gives you a call once a live representative is available. The feature gets rid of the need for users to wait countless minutes, and sometimes hours, listening to hold music trying to get connected to a customer service agent. In terms of other Search Labs features, Google recently launched "Daily Listen," which is personalized AI-powered audio experience that is designed to help you stay up to date with a personalized news feed.

Google's 'Ask for Me' uses AI to call local businesses for you

Google is trying out a new tool that lets AI call businesses to ask questions for you. The feature, called Ask for Me, collects information about the pricing and availability of a service, but it's only available for nail salons and auto shops for now. Once you enable the experiment on Google Search Labs, you might see an "Ask for Me" prompt when looking for local nail salons or auto shops in Search. Select it, and Google will ask a series of questions, like whether looking to get an oil change or tile rotation, what kind of car you have, and when you want to book an appointment. You'll also have to enter your email address or phone number, where you'll receive updates about your request.

Google's New 'Ask for Me' Search Feature Uses AI to Make Calls

Google today started rolling out a new experimental "Ask for Me" feature that's available as part of Search Labs. Google Search users can take advantage of AI to make calls to businesses for information like pricing and availability. As of now, Google is testing the experimental feature with auto shops and nail salons, and it is designed to prevent users from having to place calls themselves. Businesses can opt out of the AI-based calls, and the feature does disclose that AI is being used at the beginning of a call. To use Ask for Me, Google Search users can opt-in to Search Labs and then search for a phrase like "oil change near me" or "manicure near me" to test it out. There are capacity limits in place, so there could be a waitlist before a call can be placed.

Google launches AI bot to call businesses for you about prices and availability

For people who hate making mundane phone calls, Google has an AI solution. On Thursday, the tech giant announced "Ask for me," an experiment in its Search Labs testing ground for Google Search. The feature uses AI to call local businesses on your behalf and ask about pricing and availability. Currently, the feature works for calling nail salons and local mechanics for an oil change or other standard car maintenance, but according to the options menu, more businesses are coming soon. Like the rest of the AI industry, Google is leaning more and more into agentic experiences -- AI that can do things on your behalf. Automating information-gathering calls is just one of the ways it's doing this. Google recently launched a Gemini tool that acts as a research assistant that can gather data for you from the web, and it debuted another Search Labs experiment that waits on hold for you when calling customer service. Its newest Gemini model is integrated with the latest Samsung Galaxy and Pixel phones, with features for pulling together information, creating calendar events, and sending messages. If you're enrolled in Search Labs, you can toggle on the experiment to test it. Note: By enrolling in Search Labs, you agree to share this data with Google to improve its AI models. Next, choose whether you're looking for information about a nail salon or mechanic, and proceed to the next few steps about the services you're looking for. Once you've added all the pertinent information, choose to receive a response via SMS or email, which takes up to 30 minutes. Easy peasy. For the receiving end of the call, that's another story. The person who picks up the phone will receive an automated announcement from Google AI saying that it's calling on behalf of a user. If the person hasn't hung up yet -- because my first reaction would be that it's obviously spam -- the AI will proceed to ask about pricing and availability. The receiver can then give the bot a response in a conversational manner, which it's capable of understanding, and send its response to you. When we tried it out, we got a response from Google 21 minutes later informing us about prices and availability for a manicure at a local nail salon. The Google bot also said they tried other salons but "couldn't reach" them. Maybe they were busy, or maybe they were bewildered by the automated request.

Google Search Can Now Call Businesses on Your Behalf

Earlier this month, Search Lab released the 'Daily Listen' feature Google released a new experimental artificial intelligence (AI) feature via Search Lab on Thursday. Dubbed Ask for Me, the feature is available within Google Search and allows users to let an AI chatbot call businesses to make enquiries. The feature is currently available to select users in the US in the Android and iOS versions of the Google Search app. To be eligible for the feature in said locations, users will need to sign up to Google's Search Labs and activate it. Earlier this month, Search Labs released Daily Listen, which can generate audio overviews of a user's Discover feed. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Rose Yao, the Vice President of Product Management at Google, announced the new Search Lab feature. The new AI-powered feature will be available within Google Search and can prompt the AI to call businesses for specific queries. Once activated, the feature will automatically be turned on within Google Search. Currently, it only supports nail salons and auto repair shops. When a user makes a relevant query on the search engine, users will now see a new Ask for Me card. The card appears with a call and sparkle icon and comes with a one-line description that says, "Google will call local services to ask about their prices and availability." On tapping the 'Get Started' button, a full-screen interface opens where users can select which service they need. So, if they have queried about auto repair, it will suggest options such as scheduled maintenance, oil change, tire rotation, fuel filter replacement, engine filter replacement, and more. Once the issue has been specified, the feature seeks information about the vehicle such as manufacturing year, brand, and driven distance. Then users are prompted to select when would they prefer the service and whether they would want updates via SMS or email. Once the steps are done, the AI uses Gemini's capabilities to make a natural language call to businesses and enquire about prices and availability. The feature generates a full report on the same and sends the information via SMS or email after 30 minutes.

Google Search can now call businesses on your behalf to find the best prices and availability for services

Out of the blue, Google is testing an even darker dark theme for Search Summary Google's new Search Labs experiment, 'Ask for me,' uses AI to call local businesses (currently nail salons and auto repair shops) on your behalf, getting price quotes and availability for services. The tool first probes details about your needs (car type, service type, preferred time, for example), and then calls businesses. Users receive a summary of information via email or SMS within about 30 minutes. 'Ask for me' is currently available to US-based English Google Search users who opt-in through Search Labs. Google's battle against robocalls and line hold music continues to bear fruit. Its handy suite of Call Assist features boast tools like Hold for Me and Call Screening, both of which have been game-changers when it comes to filtering out the noise and getting to what matters. In an attempt to do more of the same, the tech giant is now rolling out a new Search Labs experiment -- one that will let you probe local businesses about their services' pricing and availability, all without you having to speak a single word. For reference, this marks Google's second Labs experiment in 2025 January alone, roughly three weeks after it began testing 'Daily Listen.' Related Google Labs' latest experiment is an audio version of your Discover feed Like a personal podcast for your feed Posts The new Search Labs experiment is called 'Ask for me,' and as the tool's name suggests, it can leverage AI to call businesses and make relevant inquiries on your behalf using a natural-sounding voice. Currently limited to nail salons and auto repair shops in the US, the feature can probe whether a local business offers the service you need, ask about available timeframes for an appointment, and fetch pricing. The feature is triggered when you search along the lines of "oil change near me" or "nail salons nearby." Users that have opted to try out the feature will encounter a new 'Ask for me card' that prompts them to fill in specifics about what they're looking for. Close In the case of automotive service requests, this can include options like factory schedule maintenance, oil change, tire rotation, tire placement, fuel filter replacement, and more, alongside an option to provide information about the car (year, make, model, mileage) that needs servicing. Users will also be able to specify when they need the service and receive updates as the AI tool goes probing via email and SMS. The tool then compiles the information it has gathered and presents the user with an easy-to-digest summary within roughly thirty minutes. Limited to US-based English Google Search users on desktop and mobile for now, the tool is only available if you manually opt into using it. The feature's potential is enormous, and it might eventually make its way to more services and regions after Google concludes the feature's first Search Labs test. Here's how you can opt in Open the Google app on your smartphone. Tap the Labs button (flask icon) on the top-left. Navigate to the AI Experiments section. Tap Turn on under Ask for me. Opting in on desktop is way easier. Head to the Search Labs landing page and toggle on Ask for me. Related What is Google Search Labs? Experiment with Google's upcoming Search features Posts

Google Lets You Use AI to Call Businesses on Your Behalf

Google has announced a new feature called 'Ask for me' on Search Labs, a platform that allows users to access various experimental AI features. This feature uses AI to call businesses in your locality on your behalf and receive responses in 30 minutes. It helps retrieve useful information regarding a business's operations, such as its timings, prices, services offered, etc. The feature is being tested with two types of businesses - auto services and nail salons. The experiment is available on Google Search for desktop and mobile. Rose Yao, Google's VP of product management, said it uses the same underlying technology to make restaurant reservations via Google Search and Google Maps. "Has [Ask for Me] been especially helpful during times when this info is changing rapidly, like during the pandemic. As always, businesses can opt-out if they wish, and we clearly disclose calls," she added. Search Lab also recently released an experiment called Daily Listen, which is an audio show made with AI from Google's Discover. The experiment curates audio updates from sources you prefer based on your activity. Last year, Google unveiled another interesting experiment called Learn About, an AI-enabled tool for deep learning and understanding. Learn About provides several interactive lists and timelines on the topic. It also includes a quiz to test your knowledge and other intuitive modules to clarify any misconceptions. A few days ago, Google announced that its generative AI feature suite will now be included in Workspace Business and Enterprise plans as well. These features are available in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, Chat, and other Workspace tools and will assist users in tasks such as drafting documents, summarising emails, and taking meeting notes. Moreover, users will be able to interact with Gemini Advanced, a next-gen AI tool that can aid in research, coding, and data analysis. "Businesses that embrace AI are gaining a significant competitive edge. Generative AI has reduced the burden of mundane tasks and has become a strategic partner for businesses, helping them bring their best ideas to life," said Jerry Dischler, president of cloud applications at Google.

Google's incredibly lifelike AI can now call businesses for you - here's how to use it

It can find out prices and availability, then summarizes the info You might remember Duplex, Google's artificial intelligence (AI) tool that would call businesses and make reservations on your behalf using a highly realistic AI voice. Well, now the search giant is back with another very similar offering that gives a whole new meaning to the term "robocalling". This time, Google's service is called Ask for Me. The idea is it can do the heavy lifting for you by directly calling businesses to get information on pricing, availability, and more based on what you want to find out. Ask for Me is part of Google's experimental Labs division. Google gives the example of searching for terms like "oil change" or "nail salons nearby," and it seems like it's limited to auto shops and nail salons for now. After you search, you can tell Ask for Me what you want to know about the company, then the AI will call the business and find out the information you're after. When the call is finished, it'll send you a summary of prices and availability. According to Rose Yao, a Google product leader in San Francisco, "this is using the same underlying Duplex tech that's used to make restaurant reservations via Search/Maps." That suggests that Duplex and Ask for Me are essentially two sides of the same AI coin, with Duplex focusing on eateries and Ask for Me helping you get more info from local businesses. The idea behind Ask for Me is that it saves you time by conducting the call while you do something else. Right now, it works on desktop and mobile. Note that you need to access it through the Chrome web browser and must be based in a country that works with Google Labs (this includes the United States but excludes Europe, for example). To get started, head to the Ask for Me website and select the Join Waitlist button. Once you've been granted access, you can try searching for tasks or businesses (such as Google's examples listed above). When you do that, you'll see a box titled Ask for Me on the page. Select the Get Started button, pick the service you need and choose Next, add a few more details and tell Google when you need the service, then enter your phone number or email address. Google says you should get a response within 30 minutes. Yao added that Ask for Me discloses that its calls are made by an AI, and businesses can opt out if they wish. Still, it's not clear how companies will react to receiving calls from an incredibly lifelike AI that's almost indistinguishable from a human. Time will tell on that one.

Google's New Ask for Me Feature Saves Time By Using AI to Call Local Businesses

Don't Search for Block Breaker on Google Unless You Want to Waste a Lot of Time An experimental new Google feature taps AI to save you time in a unique way. Ask for Me helps track down information from local businesses. Ask for Me Is Currently Testing With Nail Salons, Auto Shops The internet is great for finding information. But sometimes, you still need to place an old-fashioned phone call to find the exact price and availability for a particular service from a business. Ask for Me is made to do all of that work for you. The feature will appear when you search for something like "oil change near me" on the search engine. It's currently being tested with auto shops and nail salons. You'll enter more information about what you need. For an auto shop, you will need to specify what you're looking for, like tire rotation/balancing. Next, you'll provide information on your car including make, model, year, and current mileage. Then specify when you need the service -- soonest availability, weekdays only, or weekends only. Google will then call the businesses and create a summary with the prices and availability. You'll receive that in about 30 minutes through a text message. The phone calls are made with a natural-sounding voice. You can sign up for Ask for Me in Google Search labs. It currently only works for English queries in the United States. There is currently a waitlist. Another Helpful AI-Powered Feature from Google While it's just available for a few business types, Ask for Me can definitely save you time and let AI handle placing calls to help you find the best auto repair option or nail salon around you. As you might have guessed, Google is continuing to add AI features to its products and services. In late 2024, a report said that Google is in the process of adding an AI Mode to its search engine. The feature will allow you to interact with a chatbot when looking at search results.

Google Search's new 'Ask for me' calls local businesses for availability, pricing

Following Daily Listen in early January, Google is launching a new Search Lab called "Ask for me." Google will use "AI to call businesses on your behalf" when you're looking for the availability and prices of local services. At launch, this is specifically for services at nail salons and auto repair shops. When you're searching for something like "oil change near me," an "Ask for me" card will appear. It lets you "enter details about the service you're looking for." In the case of mechanics, Google starts by asking what you're looking for: Factory scheduled maintenance, Oil change, Tire rotation & balancing, Tire replacement, Fuel filter replacement, Cabin filter replacement, Engine filter replacement, etc. You then enter details about your car (year, make, model, and mileage), as well as when you need the service: Soonest availability, Weekdays only, or Weekends only. For a Nail salon request, picking "manicure" will let you drill down into Basic, Dip powder, French, Acrylic, Gel/shellac, Nail art, Nail polish change, etc. Google will then call, with a natural-sounding voice, local businesses around you and generate a summary of prices and availability that you'll get via text message or email after about 30 minutes. This is powered by the Duplex technology already used for placing restaurant reservations, as well as updating business hours in Google Maps. Ask for me is currently in the experimental phase and has a waitlist. It is available in the US for English queries.

Hate phone calls? Google now wants to let AI take care of that for you too

Google's letting AI ask businesses for key information -- so you don't have to Google's got a brand new experimental AI feature that's just started rolling out, and it could see AI take on one of modern life's most annoying tasks. I am, of course, talking about phone calls -- every millennial's worst nightmare. The feature is called "Ask for me" and according to Google it uses AI to call local businesses to ask for information about "prices and availability". So while it's not going to be able to handle all phone calls for you, this may be able to limit the number of calls you have to make. Assuming that you need information that a business hasn't made available on its website or Google maps page. According to Rose Yao, Vice President of Product Management at Google, this feature is currently being tested with auto shops and nail salons. Apparently it uses the same underlying tech as Duplex, the feature that allows Google AI to make restaurant reservations, and will inform businesses that they're speaking to AI. Google will also allow them to opt-out of AI calls if they want to stop receiving them. Places are limited, but Search users can opt-in to Google's Search Labs to try and test Ask for Me. You just have to remember that this is an experimental feature, meaning things could (and likely will) go wrong at some point. There are also capacity limits in place, which means your AI-powered call may be placed on a waitlist before someone can deal with it. Yao says that the underlying duplex technology has already "helped millions of businesses" keep customers up to date with new information. She says that this is particularly helpful when that information changes very quickly, using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. The use case right here might be pretty niche since, in some cases, these calls could be solved by using Google Search. However, it could be the first stage in handing over more kinds of calls to AI, which I'm all for. It's already great news that Google lets AI handle being on hold for you, but it would be fantastic to see other difficult calls taken care of as well. Calling up the doctor to try and get a last minute appointment, paying bills, booking my car in for repairs or anything else that doesn't necessarily involve an unscripted conversation with a human being.

Google's new 'Ask for Me' AI tool makes calls to businesses

This story incorporates reporting from gadgets360, Android and The Verge on MSN.com. Google has launched a new feature called "Ask for Me," which uses artificial intelligence to make phone calls to local businesses on behalf of users. This tool aims to streamline and simplify the process of obtaining information from businesses, such as store hours, availability of products, or making reservations. As of January, this feature is available to a select group of users, with plans for broader availability later in the year. The "Ask for Me" tool is part of Google's ongoing efforts to embed AI into everyday applications, offering practical assistance to users. Utilizing advanced speech recognition and natural language processing, this technology can interpret user requests, make relevant inquiries, and relay accurate information. The feature could potentially transform how users interact with businesses by reducing the need for direct phone calls, particularly for routine queries. Google's Assistant already facilitates basic tasks like setting reminders and answering questions. However, this new feature extends those capabilities to conducting real-time conversations with business representatives. The integration of "Ask for Me" builds on Google's previous ventures into AI-driven communications, such as the Duplex technology showcased in 2018, which was met with significant interest but faced ethical concerns over AI mimicking human interactions. The ability of AI to make calls autonomously raises questions about privacy and etiquette in digital communications. Google has implemented safeguards to ensure transparency and ethical usage, including disclosures at the start of calls to inform businesses they are speaking with an AI. This approach intends to respect privacy and maintain the integrity of business interactions. User response to the pilot phase of "Ask for Me" will likely influence its future development. Google aims to gather feedback to refine the AI's capabilities, ensuring it can handle diverse scenarios and provide reliable assistance. The company's efforts reflect a growing trend in technology, where the focus is on leveraging AI to manage everyday tasks, thus enhancing user convenience. The release of "Ask for Me" marks another step in Google's strategy to integrate AI deeply into consumer interactions. By automating everyday tasks, Google hopes to save users time and enhance their experiences. As AI technology evolves, its role in communication and information retrieval is poised to expand, potentially reshaping consumers' engagement with businesses.

Google's "Ask for Me" will have an AI schedule your next oil change

Google announced a new experimental AI feature being made available to select users on Thursday. Dubbed "Ask for Me," this AI agent will look up pricing and appointment availability for local businesses and automatically make reservations on your behalf -- though it only works for nail salons and mechanics shops currently. Accessible through the Google Search Labs, Ask for Me will initiate when users search for either nail salons or auto repair centers with Google Search. If, for example, you need a mechanic, the feature will pepper you with questions about the service you need, the make and model of your car, and your availability to bring it in for work, before reaching out to the shop. You'll also need to enter your contact information (phone number and email, specifically) so the AI can keep you apprised of its efforts. Recommended Videos We're testing right now with auto shops and nail salons, to see how AI can help you connect with businesses and get things done. pic.twitter.com/inf5hhj1BS — Rose Yao (@dozenrose) January 30, 2025 According to the company, Ask for Me will then call the company and introduce itself as an automated system from Google contacting them on your account before setting up the appointment. I used to manage automotive shops -- did so for nearly a decade -- and can assure you that your mechanic is going to absolutely hate this system. Luckily, businesses can opt out of the new feature by saying so when they receive such a call, or through their Google Business Page. Google also states that it will cap the number of times a business can be called using the feature over a given period, to help prevent malicious actors from misusing the service as a tool for harassment. The new feature is built atop the older Duplex system for Pixel phones that Google initially trialed in 2018. At that time, Duplex was bathed in praise as "revolutionary" and "the beginning of something big" because it utilized AI (and sometimes humans) to call area restaurants to make reservations for their users. The company followed up with a similar Duplex on the Web feature in 2019 but shuttered it by 2022. The mobile version has since been incorporated into Google Assistant and is currently available in 49 U.S. states and 16 countries, though the appointment booking and wait time updates are only available in the U.S.

New Google AI experimental features will help you get the best prices - Phandroid

Trying to get the best price to get your nails done or your car serviced involves calling multiple businesses to find out how much they charge. It can be quite a tedious process, but Google changing that with a new experimental AI feature. This new AI feature is designed to find the best price and availability for you. This feature is available on Google Search for both desktop and mobile users when searching for services like "nail salons nearby" or "oil change." All users need to do is click on "Get started" and enter the details of your request. From there, Google's AI will contact local businesses on your behalf. It will gather relevant information, and send you a summary of pricing and availability. This eliminates the need for manual phone calls and saves you valuable time. As an experimental feature, this AI-powered service is not yet available for all service types or businesses. While it aims to streamline service bookings, its capabilities are still evolving. Its availability is also based on location and business participation. According to Google, this experimental AI feature leverages user interactions to refine and enhance its generative AI capabilities in Search. This includes analyzing what users search for and their feedback, such as thumbs-up or thumbs-down ratings. This means that you as the user and as a business owner will have to be comfortable with the idea of AI collecting data on your behalf.