Google Tests Gemini Making Phone Calls for Pixel

Gemini phone calls feature displayed on a Pixel smartphone beside a desk phone

Google has begun testing a new Gemini capability that places calls to local businesses on a user’s behalf, letting the AI handle tasks like checking stock, making reservations, or moving appointments. The feature, called Call for Me, launches first to U.S. owners of the Pixel 11 who hold a paid Gemini subscription and who opt into the beta of Google’s Phone app for Android.

What Call for Me can do

The rollout extends a calling path Google has been building for years. Earlier versions guided calls but could not share personal context. With this update, Gemini can pass along information the user approves, which lets it carry out a broader set of requests. Examples Google lists include calling a store to confirm a product is in stock, booking a restaurant reservation, rescheduling a service appointment, or placing items on hold.

Once the call starts, Gemini introduces itself, works through automated phone menus, waits on hold, and talks with a person on the other end. The whole conversation streams back as a live transcript on the user’s screen, and the user can take over the call at any point.

How the calls are placed

Calls go out from the user’s own phone number, dialed directly through the Pixel. Google frames the experience as supervised rather than delegated: the user watches the transcript as the AI speaks, and the user can intervene whenever they choose.

Where the experiment started

Google’s calling work stretches back years. An earlier demonstration of Google Assistant booking a salon appointment, complete with natural-sounding filler words, drew attention at an I/O developer conference. Last year, an Ask for Me feature 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, which navigate phone trees and wait on hold until a person answers, along with Direct My Call, which surfaces the menu numbers to tap through IVR systems.

Call for Me sits on top of that history and adds the option to share approved personal details during the call, which earlier features could not do. That is what lets the AI book rather than only inquire.

Why the launch is small

Google is keeping the test small on purpose. Real-world business conversations are nuanced, and the company wants time to refine behavior before opening the feature up more widely. U.S. Pixel 11 owners on a paid Gemini plan who run the Phone app beta have first access, with broader availability depending on what the experiment shows.

What users see during a call

The live transcript is the main feedback loop. While Gemini works through menus and waits on hold, the user watches the text version of the conversation update in real time. If the AI starts to go off-track, or the user simply wants to speak themselves, they can jump in without ending the call. Sharing of personal information stays opt-in: the user has to approve what Gemini can say.

How it fits with the broader trend

Google’s test lands alongside similar agent-style calling products now reaching users, including offerings from other AI labs that can ring businesses, navigate menus, and report back. The category treats the phone call as a task the AI can carry out end-to-end, with a human still in the loop rather than handing the conversation over entirely.

FAQ

What is Google’s Call for Me feature?

Call for Me is a Gemini capability that places phone calls to businesses on a user’s behalf, handles automated menus and hold times, and returns a live transcript. Users can take over the call at any time.

Who can use Gemini’s phone calling feature first?

The test starts with U.S. owners of the Pixel 11 who pay for a Gemini subscription and who use the beta version of Google’s Phone app for Android.

Can users watch the AI’s call in real time?

Yes. The Phone app shows a live transcript of the conversation, and users can take over the call whenever they want. Calls are placed from the user’s own phone number.

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This article summarizes reporting from techcrunch.com. See our editorial disclaimer for how our articles are produced.

Google Tests Gemini Making Phone Calls for Pixel Owners