Google’s Gemini Can Now Make Calls for You on Pixel Phones

Google has unveiled a new experimental feature called Call for Me on its latest Pixel 11 smartphones in the US and English-speaking regions. This feature is available to Pixel 11 owners who have a Gemini subscription and are enrolled in the Phone by Google app's public beta. Call for Me allows users to ask the Gemini AI to make phone calls on their behalf, primarily to reach out to businesses.

Users can request the AI to call a local hardware store to check if they carry a specific tool or schedule an appointment with a barber for a haircut. Gemini will introduce itself in the conversation and may ask follow-up questions for more context. If it encounters an automated phone menu, it can navigate it and even wait on hold.

The feature works by displaying a live transcript on the Pixel phone, and users can take over at any time. Google has stated that the feature works best with businesses but can also call specific numbers provided by users. However, Gemini will not call emergency services or some other establishments. During the calls, Gemini's voice will be the same as the one used in Gemini Live interactions, even if it has an accent.

Call for Me adds to Google's suite of smart calling features on Pixels and Android. Other features like call screening, hold detection, and direct call management are already available in the Phone app. Despite concerns about the unpredictability of calls and the potential for misunderstandings, Google plans to continue testing the feature to improve it across different accents and noisy environments.

If a business cannot accommodate the user's needs, Gemini will politely hang up. The feature also points to a future where AI might take over business phone calls. With Google's AI working alongside human businesses, it's conceivable that users might soon ask their phones to call a restaurant, and the restaurant's AI will answer their request.