Google’s AI Now Calls Businesses for You: A New Era of Search Automation or Digital Noise?
Google has officially unveiled a new experimental feature within its search engine, enabling users to delegate the task of calling local businesses to artificial intelligence and receive relevant information without any direct involvement. Instead of manually searching for phone numbers and inquiring about details, a single click now suffices—the AI will make the call, clarify prices, service availability, and other specifications.
This innovation, titled AI-powered calling to local businesses, is seamlessly integrated into search results. When users search for services like grooming or dry cleaning, they may encounter a button labeled “Have AI check pricing.” Upon clicking, they can specify conditions such as the breed or size of a pet, required procedures, preferred time for an appointment, and response preferences. The system then contacts the business, gathers the necessary data, and relays the outcome.
According to its creators, this feature is designed to save customers time while simultaneously relieving businesses of answering repetitive inquiries. Standard questions are now addressed by an automated voice agent.
Yet the launch has ignited considerable debate. It turns out the foundation for this feature was an earlier system known as “Ask for Me,” which had been undergoing testing since the beginning of the year. That system employed a synthesized voice that convincingly mimicked human speech to request information on a user’s behalf. It closely resembled the Duplex project unveiled in 2018, which also placed calls to restaurants and salons. At the time, Google faced criticism for not disclosing that Duplex was AI-driven, leaving recipients unaware they were speaking with a machine.
The new voice assistant is less publicized, yet no less contentious. Some Reddit users questioned its necessity, pointing out that similar ideas had circulated for years. Others voiced concerns about call queues being clogged by robotic assistants competing with humans for attention.
One commenter sardonically remarked, “Surely no one will ever misuse this. And I’m sure employees will just love responding to these calls.” Still, a portion of the audience welcomed the feature, suggesting that society would eventually “adapt to this new breed of digital intermediaries.”
Google confirmed that the voice feature is already available to all U.S. users of Google Search. Subscribers to the premium Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans receive extended call quotas, allowing them to initiate a greater number of such requests.
To showcase the technology’s versatility, Google used the example of the popular collectible toy Labubu. The AI was tasked with calling various stores to determine if a specific version was in stock. This demonstration illustrated that the function is capable of handling even niche, non-standard queries.
What remains to be seen is how willing real-world staff will be to engage with AI-initiated calls—and where the line lies between helpful automation and digital noise.
