Pixel 11's Gemini assistant can place and manage phone calls on your behalf
Google has introduced Call for Me, an experimental feature for Pixel 11 owners in the US. The AI assistant can call businesses, navigate automated menus, and wait on hold, with a live transcript available to the user. It requires a Gemini subscription and enrollment in the Phone by Google beta.
Call for Me builds directly on Google’s decade-old Duplex concept, which once booked restaurant tables through the now-defunct Google Assistant before being shut down. The new version leverages modern large language models and is restricted to Pixel 11 devices in the US, requiring both a paid Gemini subscription and enrollment in the Phone by Google public beta. It joins an existing suite of Pixel calling tools, including Hold for Me, which alerts users when hold music ends, and Direct My Call, which displays automated menu options as text. Google acknowledges the feature is experimental and expects to refine it across accents and noisy environments.
This feature could reshape how everyday consumers interact with small businesses, potentially reducing time spent on hold and simplifying routine inquiries. However, it may also strain business phone lines if automated callers become common, and clerks might treat such calls as spam. The live transcript and takeover option offer some user control, but reliability issues—such as misheard accents or awkward hang-ups—could frustrate both parties. Wider adoption may depend on how gracefully the AI handles unpredictable conversations.