It is now official: Google Duplex is now at work. Yes, if you live in 43 states in U.S., you can use the AI system to book restaurant reservations if you have some Android devices. As this product scales around the world, some restaurant staff will see job dislocation. Sure, they will need to find new jobs as we celebrate the capacity of technology to simplify frictions in our lives. Yes, it looks increasingly clear that the AI future will bring pains to many citizens of the earth, and it makes sense for policymakers to start examining how to mitigate severe labour dislocations.
From Phoenix to Atlanta, it’s been great to see many of you using our new Google Assistant feature built on Duplex technology to quickly book restaurant reservations over the phone. Thanks to your feedback, we’re beginning to make this feature available to more people across the United States. Now, you can use it on all Pixel phones in 43 U.S. states.
All it takes is a few seconds to tell your Assistant where you’d like to go. Just ask the Assistant on your phone, “Book a table for four people at [restaurant name] tomorrow night.” The Assistant will then call the restaurant to see if it can accommodate your request. Once your reservation is successfully made, you’ll receive a notification on your phone, an email update and a calendar invite so you don’t forget.
We look forward to bringing this service to more people across the U.S. to make planning a night out just a bit easier. Over the next few weeks, we’ll start slowly bringing this feature to more Android and iOS devices, and will continue to incorporate feedback as we continue testing. Bon appétit!
Watch This – Google Assistant Makes Actual Phone Calls [Video]
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