Google is testing a new way for its Gemini assistant to handle one of life’s small annoyances: waiting on hold. The company announced an early experiment that lets Pixel 11 owners in the United States ask Gemini to call local businesses for them. The AI can make reservations, check if an item is in stock, or reschedule appointments without the user ever picking up the phone.
To use the feature, you simply tell Gemini what you need, and it dials the business on your behalf. The AI introduces itself at the start of the call, navigates through automated phone menus, waits on hold if necessary, and speaks with the human representative. Google says you remain in control the entire time and can listen in or take over the call whenever you want. The tool requires a Gemini subscription and is limited to Pixel 11 devices for now.
This is a notable step toward truly agentic AI, where software does practical tasks in the real world rather than just answering questions in a chat window. If the assistant works well, it could save people hours of listening to hold music and repeating their requests to busy employees. It also signals that Google wants its phones to offer something the iPhone does not yet have built in.
However, handing phone calls to an assistant raises important questions. Businesses may not always realize they are talking to AI, which touches on issues of transparency and consent. There is also the risk of miscommunication when a machine negotiates times or details with a human who expects a normal customer. Google will need to prove the system is reliable and honest before it expands beyond this small test group. If it succeeds, AI agents that handle everyday phone chores could soon become standard on smartphones.