Imagine needing to call a restaurant to ask whether a table is available, but instead of making the call yourself, your AI assistant does it for you.

That is increasingly becoming a reality. Google is expanding the capabilities of its Gemini AI assistant, allowing it to make calls to businesses on behalf of users. The development is another sign that smartphones are moving from simply running apps to actively completing tasks for their owners.

Gemini can make calls on your behalf

Google's latest Gemini feature is designed to handle certain business-related phone calls for users.

Instead of searching for a business, finding its phone number and calling manually, users can ask Gemini to contact the business and gather information for them.

For example, someone looking for a restaurant could potentially ask Gemini to find out about availability, pricing or other basic details without having to spend time on the phone.

The feature is part of Google's broader push toward AI agents that can perform tasks rather than simply answer questions.

Smartphones are becoming more AI-driven

For years, smartphones have revolved around apps. If you wanted to order food, book a hotel or contact a business, you generally had to open the appropriate application and complete the process yourself.

That model is beginning to change.

AI agents are being developed to understand what users want and then take multiple steps to accomplish the task.

Qualcomm has also been promoting this shift toward "agentic AI", describing a future in which AI becomes a primary interface for smartphones and can act on a user's intentions rather than simply responding to commands.

What could this mean for everyday users?

The biggest advantage is convenience.

Instead of spending several minutes searching for information and making calls, users could simply tell their AI assistant what they need.

For example:

• Find a nearby restaurant and ask about table availability.

• Call a business and check its opening hours.

• Ask a store whether a particular product is in stock.

• Gather information before making a reservation.

• Handle simple enquiries while the user is busy.

The technology could be particularly useful for people who dislike making phone calls or need to contact several businesses to compare information.

But there is an important privacy question

AI making calls on behalf of users also creates new concerns.

A phone call involves another person or business interacting with an AI system. Users need to know when an AI is speaking for them, what information it is sharing and what instructions it has been given.

There is also the question of what happens when an AI misunderstands a request.

For simple enquiries, a mistake may be harmless. But if an AI eventually gets permission to make purchases, cancel services or enter into agreements, the consequences could be much more serious.

The next step could be AI that completes entire tasks

Calling a business is only one part of the larger AI-agent trend.

Technology companies are increasingly working toward assistants that can search, compare, communicate and take actions across multiple services.

Microsoft, for example, has recently redesigned Copilot around a combination of chat, coding and an autonomous "Autopilot" agent.

This suggests that the future smartphone may work very differently from today's device.

Instead of opening five different apps to complete a task, users may simply explain what they want and let an AI coordinate the steps.

The smartphone is becoming an AI assistant

The biggest change may not be a new camera, faster processor or brighter display.

It could be the way we interact with the phone itself.

If AI agents continue becoming more capable, the smartphone could gradually shift from being a collection of apps into a personal digital assistant that can actually perform tasks.

The convenience could be enormous—but so will be the need for clear permissions, user confirmation and strong privacy protections.

The age of AI that merely answers questions is giving way to AI that can take action. And Google's latest Gemini feature is another step in that direction.