Google launched a new AI-powered feature in searches on Wednesday, allowing you to call local businesses, check and report prices and availability.
Google Search Robby Stein VP said, “There’s an agent feature that saves you the hassle of using AI to call local businesses to check prices and tracking information yourself.”
The new AI call feature is based on Google’s Duplex, a conversational AI launched in 2018, and calls on users. Use speech recognition and context to naturally discuss with your business and use AI to summarise your results.
“We may share your first name and last name with the business that will be contacted, and we will let users know this on a confirmation screen before they submit a request,” a Google spokesperson said. Decryption. “This helps businesses realize that real potential customers are behind these calls and make it easier for them to serve those users.”
In addition to the business call feature, Google is rolling out a new deep search tool powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro models.
This feature is part of Google’s shift to artificial intelligence and AI agents designed to not only answer questions but also act on behalf of users.
In May, at the Google I/O event, Google announced a variety of new AI features, including the flagship AI products Gemini’s VEO 3, Imagen 4, and Gemini Diffusion. That same month, Google launched the AI Edge Gallery, a platform for distributing AI models on devices to smartphones.
However, as AI becomes more and more capable, experts warn about the amount of data that needs to function and the hidden costs associated with agent AI who take on more personal tasks.
“My concern is whether we are applying the right level of surveillance to high-risk use cases,” said Anthony Habayeb, Monitaur AI, co-founder and CEO of the AI risk management company. Decryption. “And when you use an agent AI system that works on your behalf, the risk is the compounds.”
He pointed to the increasing use of AI tools to process sensitive data, such as calendars, contacts, and credit cards, as examples of how misuse and failures can escalate quickly, especially when governance is lacking, especially in systems oversight.
According to Google, businesses contacted through this feature use settings in their Google Business Profile, including the option to opt out of automated calls, to control how they are reached and what information is shared.
According to Google, the company only received user names, not contact details, but the feature raised concerns about data sharing.
“Everyone wants efficiency. I don’t like putting a hold at a restaurant or looking for a barber while traveling,” Habaieb said.
“Consumers need to determine their risk appetite,” added Habayeb. “Some people accept the trade-off between convenience and data. Others don’t. The most important thing is transparency and letting the market decide from there.”
