Google launches Call for Me: the Gemini assistant calls businesses for users on Pixel 11
Google has launched the experimental Call for Me feature, in which the Gemini model calls businesses on behalf of the user – handling reservations as well as availability inquiries. It builds on the earlier Google Duplex; similar calls are also offered by Meta's AI agents Muse and Instinct.
The latest news from 25 September adds context to the Call for Me feature: it builds on the earlier Google Duplex experiment, and similar calling capabilities are also offered by Meta's AI agents Muse and Instinct. According to Google, the feature is deliberately being rolled out on a small scale, because real conversations are nuanced and need to be fine-tuned first; the main source of this update is TechCrunch.
Google announced the Call for Me feature itself on 24 September as an experimental beta for the Gemini model on Pixel 11 phones in the US, in English. It requires a paid Gemini subscription and enrollment in the Phone by Google app's public beta. At the user's instruction, the Gemini model calls a business, introduces itself, navigates an automated phone menu, waits in a queue, and converses with staff or an automated system – the call takes place from the user's phone number, and the AI may only share personal information the user has approved. The user follows a live transcript and can take over the call at any time. According to Google, the model can handle tasks such as making a reservation, checking whether an item is in stock, or rescheduling an appointment.
According to Wired, the feature does not call emergency lines, the assistant's voice matches the voice used in Gemini Live, and it is part of a broader suite of tools alongside Hold for Me, Direct My Call, and scam call detection. According to Google, beta testing is focused on improving recognition of accents and communication in noisy environments; if a business cannot fulfill the request, Gemini is designed to end the call "politely," according to the company.
Why it matters
For individuals with a supported phone and subscription, this represents a real time savings for routine phone calls such as reservations or stock availability inquiries, while the user retains control over the call thanks to the live transcript and the ability to take over at any time. For the businesses being called, it signals a trend where an increasing number of calls will be mediated by AI on the caller's side, which may affect the operation of phone lines and IVR systems, while also illustrating the growing competition between Google and Meta in the field of agentic assistants capable of acting independently on behalf of users.
What was added since the original report
Verified updates
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The feature builds on the earlier Google Duplex experiment; Meta offers similar capabilities with its AI agents Muse and Instinct; Google is deliberately starting small because of the nuances of real conversations; the primary source of the news is TechCrunch.
- The feature builds on the earlier Google Duplex experiment
- Meta offers similar capabilities with its AI agents Muse and Instinct
- Google is deliberately starting small because of the nuances of real conversations
- The primary source of the news is TechCrunch
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The Call for Me feature is part of a broader package of Google features including Hold for Me, Direct My Call, and Scam Detection; beta testing is focused on improving recognition of accents and communication in noisy environments; Wired, as an independent editorial source, confirms the existence and characteristics of the feature; official Google instructions exist for enrolling in the Phone by Google public beta.
- The Call for Me feature is part of a broader package of Google features including Hold for Me, Direct My Call, and Scam Detection
- Beta testing is focused on improving recognition of accents and communication in noisy environments
- Wired, as an independent editorial source, confirms the existence and characteristics of the feature
- Official Google instructions exist for enrolling in the Phone by Google public beta
Two audiences, two different impacts
What this means
For individuals
Users with a Pixel 11 and a Gemini subscription in the US can let AI handle routine phone calls – making a reservation, checking stock availability, or rescheduling an appointment – and follow the call via a live transcript with the option to take over control at any time.
For a business
Companies with telephone customer contact will increasingly encounter calls conducted by an AI agent on behalf of the caller; at the same time, this is evidence of competitive pressure between Google and Meta in the field of agentic AI assistants capable of making calls independently.
ProcessesCheck the original
Event sources
confirmed by 4 independent sources · 4 publishers, 4 independent. We count feeds from the same owner only once.