Google is testing a new feature called "Call for Me" that lets its Gemini assistant place phone calls to businesses on a user's behalf, joining a growing field of AI agents, including Meta's Muse and Instinct, that can now handle real-world calling tasks. The feature is rolling out first to Pixel 11 owners in the US who subscribe to Gemini, and requires the beta version of Google's Phone app for Android, reflecting its early, experimental status.
What Sets It Apart From Earlier Tools
Google has offered AI-assisted calling features for years, but earlier versions were fairly limited in scope. This time around, users can choose to let Gemini pass along certain personal details mid-call, something the company says opens the door to handling more involved requests than before. The calls themselves go out under the user's real phone number, placed straight from their own handset rather than some intermediary line, and people aren't locked out once the call starts either, they can listen in as it happens and step in to take over at any moment.
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What The AI Can Actually Do
According to Google, Gemini can be tasked with things like calling a store to check whether an item is in stock, booking a restaurant table, rescheduling an existing appointment, or asking a business to hold something aside. Once dialed, the assistant handles the whole interaction start to finish, opening with a quick self-introduction, working through whatever automated menu the business uses, sitting through hold music if that's what it takes, and then picking up the actual conversation the moment a person answers. A live transcript runs alongside the call so users can watch, in real time, exactly what's being said on both ends.
Years In The Making
This feature builds on a long line of AI calling experiments at Google. Back in 2018, the company famously demoed Google Assistant calling a salon to book an appointment at its I/O developer conference, complete with natural-sounding "umm"s and "ahh"s meant to make the AI sound more human. Last year, Google introduced "Ask for Me," which let Gemini call businesses to ask about pricing or services. Pixel owners have also had access to "Hold for Me" and "Talk to a Live Rep," tools that navigate automated phone systems and wait on hold until a human answers, alongside "Direct My Call," which surfaces the numbers needed to move through IVR menus manually.
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Starting Small On Purpose
Google says it's deliberately limiting the rollout for now, noting that "real-world conversations are nuanced," and that the company wants time to refine the feature before expanding it to a wider audience.
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