Google's AI Now Makes Calls and Checks Prices for You

Hans India

10 hours ago

Google is taking another big step in putting artificial intelligence to work for everyday tasks. The tech giant has now made its AI-powered calling feature available to everyone in the US through Search. With this new option, you can ask Google's AI to call local businesses — like pet groomers, auto shops, or dry cleaners — to check prices or availability, so you don't have to pick up the phone yourself.
The feature first began testing in January and is aimed at simplifying small but often time-consuming tasks. Now, when you search for certain services on Google, you'll see a 'have AI check pricing' option under the business listing. Once selected, Google's AI will ask you a few details, like your pet's breed or the service you need, your preferred time, and whether you'd like updates by email or text.
According to Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search, the AI uses Google's Duplex technology combined with Gemini to handle the calls. 'Gemini, with Duplex tech, will be able to make calls on your behalf,' Stein told The Verge. 'The calling tool will announce itself as an AI from Google trying to get information on behalf of a customer and get your info and details conveyed so that you don't have to spend all of this time doing this.' Once the AI gets what it needs, it will send you a text update about prices or available slots.
This tool could be especially useful for younger people who, as studies show, often dislike making phone calls. Business owners who prefer not to receive AI calls can easily opt out in their Google profile settings.
To manage usage, Google's AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers get 'higher limits' for how often they can use the feature.
Alongside this wider rollout, Google is also experimenting with its more advanced Gemini 2.5 Pro model in AI Mode — an AI-powered search tool that launched across the US in May. Users with AI Pro and AI Ultra subscriptions who've joined the AI Mode test in Google Labs can switch to Gemini 2.5 Pro, which Stein says excels at 'advanced reasoning, math, and code.'
Google is also testing Deep Search within AI Mode, which can build detailed reports about a query by reasoning, asking additional questions, and double-checking its results through multi-step searches. This deeper layer of AI search is another sign of how Google is expanding its AI ecosystem to save users time and effort in daily tasks.