Google will let users call stores, browse products, and check out using AI

Google's artificial intelligence will soon call local toy stores, beauty shops, and electronics retailers on your behalf, asking about inventory and sales while politely disclosing it's a robot.

Starting Thursday, Google is rolling out a suite of AI shopping tools that transform how Americans hunt for holiday gifts. The most striking feature lets users direct an AI agent to phone businesses directly. After the call, shoppers receive a text or email summary of what the robot discovered.

But Google's ambitions extend far beyond making calls. The new conversational shopping feature allows users to search by saying something like "women's sweaters that can be worn with pants or dresses," then refine with "more options in gray colors." The AI sifts through 50 billion product listings to deliver tailored results.

Perhaps most dramatically, Google's AI can now complete purchases automatically. Shoppers set a target price, and if an item drops below that threshold, the system pings for confirmation then buys it using Google Pay.

The tools consolidate shopping experiences that currently happen across TikTok, Instagram influencers, and review sites, potentially disrupting how consumers discover products entirely.