Due to the prevalence of social media apps, more and more people are replacing traditional phone calls with text messages, which has also made many people (including me) dislike talking on the phone. If you need to call a business or company to inquire about something, but feel a bit afraid of talking to strangers or don’t know what to say, Google’s newly tested feature “Ask for Me” can handle this issue for you.
Google is testing an AI feature called “Ask for Me” that calls businesses to inquire for you.
Google Labs Under the AI category, a new feature called “Ask for Me” has appeared. This feature lets you avoid calling businesses yourself; instead, Google’s AI handles tasks such as finding the best prices and checking product availability for you.
When you use “Ask for Me,” a realistic-sounding AI will contact businesses, compile options, and reply to you within 30 minutes. It works similarly to Duplex, which launched in 2019 and can call restaurants to make reservations. Google reminds users that this feature is still in the experimental stage and doesn’t apply to all types of services. While Google hasn’t specified exactly which services are supported, the images only show car repair and nail salon pricing, and the description says it works for local services like oil changes or nearby nail salons, so for now it’s just that kind of basic assistance.
As you can see in the image below, when you search for businesses that match your criteria, an “Ask for Me” button appears. Clicking it reveals more selectable options: auto services include tire replacement, wheel alignment, filter replacement, and routine maintenance, while nail salons offer basic care, gel polish, nail tips, and French manicures.
“Ask for Me” is available on desktop or mobile Chrome web browser. It is not yet open to the general public; only users in certain regions can queue up on the page in Google Labs to join the waitlist. Given how prevalent phone calls are today, one has to wonder whether businesses are willing to spend time and patience talking to such a novel AI. Additionally, when you come up with new questions beyond your original inquiry, you cannot immediately communicate and consult, which makes it less immediate than a real-person conversation.
Source: KOCPC Chinese