Google has launched an experimental new machine customer feature: “Ask for Me”.
The feature empowers its search engine users with an AI agent, which may call businesses and make inquiries for them.
For now, the innovation is available through Search Lab, Google’s program for people to experiment with and share feedback on innovations to improve search experiences.
Announcing the news on X, Rose Yao, VP of Product Management at Google, said:
You can use AI to call businesses on your behalf to find out what they charge for a service & when it’s available, like an oil change ASAP from nearby mechanics.
Currently, the feature only supports mechanics and nail salons, as it’s still very much in its experimental phase.
Nevertheless, it’s strikingly similar to Duplex on the Web, which Google shuttered in 2022.
Google Duplex had many applications, with users leveraging the solution to schedule appointments, make reservations, and even assist with forgotten passwords.
Yet, over two years ago, Google temporarily took down the application, promising to onboard user feedback and “make it even better”.
Now, “Ask for Me” could be the next generation of this technology.
How Can I Access “Ask for Me”?
Ask for Me is currently only available in the US, and users must sign up to Google Search Labs to activate the feature on the Google Search app.
From there, an Ask for Me card will appear – for Android and iOS users – when they type a query related to a nearby mechanic or nail salon into the search engine.
After pressing on the card, the user can navigate a panel of potential call reasons, add pertinent information to their query, and have the AI agent take the call for them.
The X post from Yao is available below and shows all this in action.
We’re testing right now with auto shops and nail salons, to see how AI can help you connect with businesses and get things done. pic.twitter.com/inf5hhj1BS
— Rose Yao (@dozenrose) January 30, 2025
Following the AI agent interaction, the customer will receive an update through email or SMS, which will feature a report of the interaction.
Ultimately, Google will consider expanding the feature across verticals and making it a full-time search extension. That could beckon a future of machine-to-machine customer service, which many have forecasted.
Contact Centers: Are You Ready for Machine Customers?
Since the rise of Google Duplex in 2019, various online bots have promised to make human-like calls on behalf of consumers.
Recognizing this, Gartner predicted just two years ago that – by 2026 – 20 percent of contact center traffic will come from machine customers.
At the time, Uma Challa, Sr. Director Analyst at Gartner, fired a warning to all service leaders:
Organizations without a machine customer strategy in place won’t have a good way of distinguishing between human and machine customers. They may see their non-chatbot channel performance get worse without understanding why.
Some may have considered the prediction a little over-ambitious. Yet, it now feels much more palpable, given the rise of large language models (LLMs) and AI agents that can engage autonomously.
After all, the static, decision-tree-based flows of older virtual agents meant that machine customer conversations often fell apart whenever the service rep said something a little out of the ordinary.
Still, even with autonomous AI, these tools have lacked accessibility. However, Google’s addition of them to its search engine may soon change everything.
As such, machine customers could soon flood contact centers, and leaders must take the time to think about how these interactions could impact their operations.
Indeed, with many contact centers leveraging AI agents of their own to take calls, machine-to-machine interactions appear to be the next frontier for customer service. The implications of that are certainly worth mulling over.
For those wishing to dive deep into the topic, consider the CX Today article: Why Aren’t Customer Service Teams Ready for Machine Customers?
