Pixel users are about to receive a futuristic update. Duplex is the new AI tool for Google Assistant, and it is more capable than you would imagine. It can make a phone call you in order to make an appointment or book a reservation for you.
Google presented this technology back in May. In order to make a reservation at a restaurant, you just need to ask for that. You will get the top three options in your area, so if you want something specific you might want to include other details, such as the price range.
“We’re currently ramping up the ability to book restaurant reservations through the Google Assistant over the phone using Duplex technology. To help deliver a good experience to Pixel users and to businesses, we’re starting with a slow rollout … and will expand to more Pixel users as we continue to ramp up,” declared a Google spokesperson
Making a reservation
Once you chose the restaurant, your Assistant will ask you about a series of details, such as the number of persons, and what time you want to book. You might even add if you have a flexible reservation time, as the restaurant might be booked up during your preferred time.
There are some restaurants which don’t accept Duplex reservations. If you want Duplex to make a reservation you need to allow it to use your phone number. You’ll receive an email confirmation once the AI makes the reservation.
Right after Google introduced the Duplex AI tool, many users were skeptical because the AI sounded exactly like a human. People believed that it would be difficult to tell the difference. However, Duplex identifies itself when it calls to book a reservation, and restaurant employees reported that it was not difficult to realize that they weren’t speaking with a human.
Nora Reynolds is a major in biology and a minor in Biological Basis of Behavior, writing about science in general. She also likes to try new gadgets and sports about the AI new era.