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Google Launches AI-Powered Business Calling and Updates Gemini 2.5 Pro to AI Mode

ByHilary Ong

Jul 18, 2025

Google Launches AI-Powered Business Calling and Updates Gemini 2.5 Pro to AI Mode

Google has announced a nationwide rollout of its AI-powered business-calling feature to all users in the United States. This new functionality uses agentic AI to place calls to local businesses on your behalf, gathering information about availability and pricing—saving users from having to make the calls themselves.

The feature first entered testing in January through Google’s Search Labs. Users can try it by searching queries like “pet groomers near me,” where a new option will appear to “Have AI check pricing.” The AI then asks simple questions—such as pet type, required services, and preferred appointment times—to collect relevant details from multiple local businesses.

A Google spokesperson confirmed that every call begins with an automated message identifying itself as a robot calling on behalf of a user. This approach comes after Google faced criticism in the past for a similar feature that mimicked human speech, which raised concerns about transparency.

The new business-calling feature is rolling out now for all U.S. Search users, with higher usage limits available for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers.

Enhanced Google Search with Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Search

Alongside the business-calling rollout, Google is upgrading its AI Mode in Search by introducing Gemini 2.5 Pro for Pro and Ultra subscribers. This advanced AI model excels at reasoning, math, and coding tasks, accessible through a dropdown menu in AI Mode.

Google is also introducing a new “Deep Search” capability designed to save users hours of research. Deep Search performs hundreds of queries, synthesizing and citing information to produce comprehensive reports quickly. Google highlights its usefulness for complex research—whether related to work, hobbies, or major life decisions such as home buying or financial planning.

Since launching AI Mode earlier this year, Google has added various features to compete with AI services like Perplexity AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search. These include a voice-based conversational AI and AI-enhanced shopping experiences showcasing product images and detailed guidance.

Author’s Opinion

Google’s business-calling AI represents a significant step toward making everyday tasks easier, helping users save time by automating mundane phone calls. However, transparency is critical to ensure people on the receiving end understand they are interacting with AI, not humans. As these features become more common, clear disclosure will protect trust and reduce the risk of misunderstanding or misuse.


Featured image credit: Service Scalers

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Hilary Ong

Hello, from one tech geek to another. Not your beloved TechCrunch writer, but a writer with an avid interest in the fast-paced tech scenes and all the latest tech mojo. I bring with me a unique take towards tech with a honed applied psychology perspective to make tech news digestible. In other words, I deliver tech news that is easy to read.

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