Google just unleashed its most ambitious shopping AI yet, introducing agents that can literally buy products for you and call stores to check inventory. The timing couldn't be better - with Black Friday weeks away, the tech giant is betting that AI assistants will handle the grunt work of holiday shopping, from price tracking to phone calls with local retailers.
Google is making its boldest move yet into autonomous shopping, launching AI agents that can literally complete purchases and make phone calls on behalf of consumers. The company announced today a suite of "agentic" shopping features designed to eliminate the tedious parts of holiday shopping - from endless scrolling to calling stores for inventory checks.
The centerpiece is what Google calls "agentic checkout," where AI agents monitor price-tracked items and automatically purchase them when they hit your target price. "Simply track an item's price using our price-tracking feature," explains Vidhya Srinivasan, VP/GM of Ads and Commerce, in the official announcement. "Tell us what item you want to track - down to the specific size, color and amount you want to spend - and you'll get a notification when the price falls within your budget."
But here's where it gets interesting: if the merchant supports it, Google will offer to complete the purchase automatically using Google Pay. The system asks for permission first and confirms shipping details, but the actual transaction happens without human intervention. This represents a significant leap from recommendation engines to actual autonomous commerce.
The feature is rolling out now across major retailers including Wayfair, Chewy, Quince, and select Shopify merchants. More retailers are expected to join soon, though Google hasn't disclosed the technical requirements or revenue-sharing arrangements.
Equally ambitious is Google's new AI calling service, which tackles one of shopping's most frustrating pain points - checking local inventory. When you search for products "near me," you'll now see a "Let Google Call" option. Behind the scenes, Google's upgraded Duplex technology powered by Gemini models calls nearby stores to check stock, pricing, and promotions.
"AI does the work for you, calling to see if stores nearby have what you're looking for, how much it costs and if there are any special promos," Srinivasan explains. The system then sends you an email or text summary, potentially saving hours of phone tag during busy shopping seasons.