Google's Gemini Can Call Businesses And Wait On Hold So You Don't Have To
Nothing kills an afternoon quite like sitting on hold for half an hour or longer. It's a massive waste of time unless you truly enjoy listening to soft elevator music and cheesy ads on loop, all in an effort to ask a store or support representative a simple question. There has to be a better way, and Google agrees. That is, so long as you own a Pixel 11 series smartphone, which now has access an experimental "Call for Me" feature powered by Gemini.
Finally, a use for artificial intelligence that doesn't revolve around creating memes or arguing with hallucinating bots, right? Powered by modern large language models, Google's experimental tool lets Gemini handle routine phone calls, navigate automated menu trees, and sit patiently on hold so you don't have to.
Landing first as a preview for Pixel 11 owners in the U.S. who subscribe to Gemini and run the Phone by Google beta, the feature is sort of a spiritual successor to Google Duplex that was perhaps ahead of its time. A lot has changed in the world of AI since Google Duplex entered the scene in 2018. Now we have much fancier and more capable LLMs, especially when it comes to linguistics.
We have not had a chance to test this feature yet, but according to Google, Gemini can call businesses to inquire about hours of operation and product availability, as well as get service quote and other information. It can also book, confirm, and manage appointments and reservations.
Naturally, handing over voice calls to an AI requires some guardrails. When Gemini places a call, it explicitly introduces itself as an AI assistant speaking on behalf of the user, keeping things transparent for whoever picks up on the other end.
You also won't be left completely in the dark while Gemini does your bidding. The Phone app features a live text transcript in real time, allowing you to monitor the conversation and step in to take at any moment if something goes awry.
