Google has been pursuing AI-driven outbound calls for nearly a decade, beginning with the Duplex system that once let Google Assistant book restaurant tables. That service was discontinued, but the company is now reviving the concept with a new feature built on its Gemini large-language model. The beta, called Call for Me, lets the assistant place calls on the user’s behalf.
The capability is limited to the latest Pixel 11 smartphones sold in the United States and operates only in English. Users must hold an active Gemini subscription and enroll in the public beta of the Phone by Google app to access the service. Google provides a web page with step-by-step participation instructions for interested Pixel owners.
When a user asks Gemini to place a call, the assistant may request additional details before dialing. Once connected, Gemini introduces itself and can conduct a back-and-forth dialogue with the business, navigating automated menus, waiting on hold, or providing confirmations. A live transcript appears on the Pixel screen, allowing the user to monitor the conversation and intervene at any moment.
Google specifies that the service is intended for business interactions and excludes emergency numbers. Users may also supply a phone number directly, for example when a local provider lacks an online listing. During the call the assistant uses the same voice employed in Gemini Live sessions, regardless of any personalized accent settings the user may have chosen.
Call for Me builds on a suite of Pixel and Android call-handling tools. The Phone app already screens incoming calls, blocks robocalls, and offers Hold for Me, which alerts users when hold music ends. Direct My Call displays menu options before they are spoken, and real-time Scam Detection flags suspected fraud callers. Similar call-screening features appear on competing devices from Samsung and Apple.
Google acknowledges that outbound calls can be unpredictable, citing potential issues with accents, noisy environments, or uncooperative respondents. A company spokesperson told WIRED that the beta will continue to collect diverse use cases to improve performance across accents and noisy settings, and that Gemini will "politely" end the call if a business cannot fulfill the request. The rollout hints at a future where AI assistants and merchant chatbots converse directly, as seen in a California pizza chain that accepts text orders via a chatbot.