Tired of endless scrolling and tab-hopping when making reservations or buying tickets? Google is shaking things up with a new AI-powered feature in Search Labs that promises to streamline your booking experience. This is a game-changer!
This innovative update allows the AI Mode to handle tasks like finding and booking restaurant reservations, event tickets, and wellness appointments directly from various websites.
But here's where it gets interesting: the rollout is currently limited, so not everyone will have access right away. Robby Stein, Google Search's VP of Product, made the announcement on X, highlighting the new agentic capabilities.
What's New?
Imagine asking your phone to handle the legwork. AI Mode now scours multiple sites for three key booking categories, presenting real-time options with curated time slots or ticket prices. Here's a glimpse of what U.S. users can expect when they visit the Search Labs landing page:
- Restaurant Reservations: Specify your party size, preferred time, neighborhood, or cuisine. For example, you could ask, "Find me a dinner reservation for 3 people this Friday after 6 pm around Logan Square. Craving ramen or bibimbap." The results will show available times with direct booking links.
- Event Tickets: Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers can search for concert and event tickets, specifying price and seating preferences. For instance, "Find me 2 cheap tickets for the Shaboozey concert coming up. Prefer standing floor tickets."
- Wellness Appointments: Also for Pro and Ultra subscribers, AI Mode can display real-time availability from local service booking platforms, linking you to complete your appointment.
How Does It Work?
AI Mode efficiently searches across multiple websites to find real-time availability and then presents a curated list. It then links you directly to the provider's booking page to finalize your reservation or purchase. It's like having a personal assistant for your bookings!
What Do You Need?
To fully utilize this feature, you'll need:
- A personal Google Account that you manage.
- Web & App Activity turned on.
- Access to Search Labs.
- To be located in the U.S. and use the English language.
- Be at least 18 years old.
These requirements are clearly outlined on the experiment page.
Why Does This Matter?
For those who frequently make bookings, AI Mode can significantly reduce the steps involved in comparing times and prices across different sites. It simplifies the discovery and comparison process into a single query, although you'll still complete the transaction on the provider's site.
Looking Ahead
Google emphasizes that this is an early experiment, and they welcome user feedback to improve the quality. The rollout is gradual, so expect availability to expand over the coming days.
What do you think? Will this new AI feature revolutionize how you make bookings? Do you foresee any potential drawbacks or areas for improvement? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Let's discuss!
