Google's "Ask for Me" is ready to call some stores for you to get prices and availability
Now available, Google's "Ask for Me" uses AI to call certain stores to get pricing and availability.
If you hate calling businesses to make an appointment, you can let AI do it for you. "Ask for Me" is a pretty cool feature, and it is now available in the United States through Google Search. The feature will allow AI to make calls to certain types of retailers, such as auto shops, dry cleaners, and pet groomers. AI will try to find out pricing and availability information for you.
To use this feature, go to Search and ask for something like, "Pet groomers near me." A new option will surface in the results that says, "Have AI check pricing" underneath a business listing. Tapping on the button will result in AI asking you for more information about your pet, the kind of services you need, and whether you prefer to receive updates by email or text.
Robby Stein, vice president of products for Google Search, says that Google's Duplex model will work with Gemini to make calls. You might recall how Google's Duplex stunned the crowd at Google I/O in 2018 with a video showing how it made dining reservations and other appointments. Stein says, "Gemini, with Duplex tech, will be able to make calls on your behalf.
The calling tool will call the business, in this case the groomer, and "announce itself as an AI from Google." After the AI gets the information it needs from the phone call, it will provide an update over text about available times and prices. For the consumer, this saves time by having Gemini make the calls and write down the answers. Businesses save time by having AI book customers for them.
Gemini 2.5 Pro can now be used in AI Mode. |=Image credit-PhoneArena
You do have to enable the feature on Google Search Labs. Open the Google app and tap on the icon of a beaker in the upper left of the screen. Scroll down to "Ask for Me" and join the waitlist. It is available on Android and iOS.
Ask for Me allows you to make certain phone appointments using AI. | Image credit-PhoneArena
Business owners can decide to opt out of receiving AI calls if they don't feel comfortable with them. The feature is now available, although Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers will get greater opportunities to use it.
Ask for Me uses Gemini, Duplex, and Google Search to make appointments for you. | Image credit-PhoneArena
Google is also bringing Gemini 2.5 Pro to AI Mode. This will give you access to Google's most intelligent AI Model right from Search. Gemini 2.5 Pro uses advanced reasoning and is outstanding in providing you with answers to math and coding questions. It will even provide the user with links to help them learn more via a Deep Search. A drop-down menu in the AI Mode tab in Search will help subscribers access Gemini 2.5 Pro. The default model in AI Mode, a custom Gemini 2.0 series model, will still provide fast, all-around assistance for most questions.
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