The hidden potential of Google Duplex: What can this AI really do?

Google CEO Sundar Pichai introduced the world to Google Duplex in May 2018 at the developer’s ai assistant conference. The demonstration showcased a human-sounding robot speaking with a person who couldn’t tell they were talking to AI. This technology impressed audiences but also felt a bit eerie.

For those unfamiliar, Google Duplex is an advancement in Google’s voice recognition system. It offers voice commands, voice search, and voice-activated control, enabling users to complete tasks after saying “OK Google” or “Hey Google.”

With Google Duplex, you can ask Google Assistant to call businesses to make reservations, book appointments, check hours, and more. The exciting and slightly unsettling part is the Assistant’s natural-sounding human voice rather than a robotic one. Google hasn’t explained why they chose this approach, but they certainly achieved a realistic sound!

Google has updated its AI assistant to understand complex sentences, fast speech, and long remarks. It can now book appointments and reservations wherever you want. Google Duplex, an advanced AI, can interact so naturally that people might not realize they’re speaking with an AI. It even includes human-like elements, like “um” and pause breaks, to sound more realistic.

Google Assistant is likely the most advanced AI assistant on the market, but it hasn’t escaped concerns about privacy. Many people worry because Google already knows so much—where you work, your meetings, travel plans, favorite sports teams, and personal interests.

Despite these privacy concerns, Google Duplex can be a powerful tool. Businesses that regularly schedule clients, like doctors and lawyers, could use it to manage bookings. Other companies relying on customer reservations may also benefit from this service.

Where can you find Google Duplex? It’s currently available on Google Pixel devices, including Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, and Pixel 3 XL. Google plans to expand Duplex to Android devices running version 5.0 or newer. This feature is already available in most of the U.S. and has recently launched in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the UK.