From now on, Google will allow every US resident to call local businesses using artificial intelligence. This feature, which is now available in Search, allows you to use artificial intelligence to get information about prices or availability of goods without having to talk on the phone.
Google first started testing the feature in January, and it’s only available for certain types of businesses, such as pet groomers, dry cleaners, and auto repair shops, for now. When you search for one of these services, such as a pet groomer, Google will show a new “Let AI check prices” prompt below the business listing.
Google will then ask you to provide additional information about your request, such as what kind of pet you have, its breed, and the types of services you need. It will also ask you when you need the service and how you want to receive updates, such as by email or text. This feature may become popular among younger users, who, as research shows, find it difficult to make phone calls.
Robbie Stein, vice president of Google Search, notes that the company’s Duplex model uses Gemini to make calls. “With the Duplex technology, Gemini will be able to make calls on your behalf,” Stein tells The Verge, adding that the calling tool “will declare itself as Google’s artificial intelligence, which will try to get information on behalf of the customer and pass on your information and details so you don’t have to spend all that time doing it.” Once the artificial intelligence has the necessary information, it will send a text message about free time or prices.
Business owners can opt out of receiving calls from AI in their Google profile settings. Although this feature is now publicly available, Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers will receive “higher limits” that will allow them to make more use of this feature.
In addition to the widespread rollout of its agent calling tool, Google has also begun testing its more advanced Gemini 2.5 Pro in AI Mode, an AI-powered search tool that Google offered to all US residents in May. AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers who took part in the AI Mode experiment in the Labs can now opt for Gemini 2.5 Pro, which Stein says is “particularly well suited for complex reasoning, math, and code.” By default, AI Mode uses a special model of the Gemini 2.0 series.
Google is also experimenting with a deep search feature in AI Mode, allowing users to create in-depth query reports. “The model is actually reasoning and thinking about the questions that need to be asked and the search that needs to be done,” says Stein. “As it constructs an answer, it checks its work and produces further questions in this multi-step chain of reasoning.” This feature will also be available to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in Google Labs.
