The Business Calling Feature by Google uses AI to contact local services for you, gathering details like prices and schedules instantly.
Google has introduced a new AI-powered feature that operates in the background, set to change the way users interact with local businesses. The Business Calling feature enables Google’s AI to place calls on behalf of users, collecting information such as price, availability, and appointment times, without the user so much as picking up the phone.
A New Era of Search: From Typing to Talking
Historically, Google Search has been a portal to information. Today, it’s evolving into an active participant. When users type in service needs like “plumbers near me” or “pet grooming in Brooklyn,” they can be offered a suggestion such as “Have AI check pricing.” Tapping on this opens a brief questionnaire, after which Google’s AI assistant calls up related businesses and asks them for information.
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The AI starts every call with a straightforward announcement: “This is an automated system calling from Google on behalf of a user.” Answers are then sent through email or SMS, making it easier for users seeking speedy answers without the inconvenience of having to make multiple calls.
Respectful, Transparent, and Optional for Businesses
Google has underscored that the feature is made with transparency and business control in mind. Businesses are free to opt out of receiving AI calls via their Google Business Profile settings. Calls are placed only during reasonable hours, and conversations can be recorded for quality assurance, though not made public.
This is an effort to strike a balance between innovation and sensitivity towards small business owners who are already facing the realities of a fast-digitizing customer base.
One of Google’s Expanding AI Ecosystems
The Business Calling feature is one of an expansive set of AI upgrades for Google Search that includes
• Gemini 2.5 Pro, a high-performance model for reasoning and sophisticated queries
• Deep Search, providing multi-step, fully cited reports
• AI-Guided Shopping offers visual navigation supported by AI.
• Voice Calls, to talk to Google’s AI directly
Available in the United States only as of now, Business Calling is available to everyone, with Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers having greater limits on usage.
