Google's $250 AI agent can only help you book restaurant reservations
- Reference: 1755794067
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/08/21/google_ai_agent/
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Given that Google, like much of the AI world, has [1]leapt onto AI agents as the next big thing in the AI space, it's no surprise that its latest AI Mode for search [2]announcement would involve adding agentic AI.
[3]AI Mode for search , which essentially allows Gemini to serve as the sifter of SERPs instead of the old-fashioned Google algorithm, became an opt-in preview feature in March before rolling out as an option to general Google users [4]in May . For those who haven't deigned to use it, AI Mode basically turns the Google search page into a chat window where users can ask typical queries and get results delivered from a Gemini-powered chatbot that one has to assume [5]isn't bullshitting them , or spend time checking its citations.
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Now, with agents in AI Mode, one can let an ostensibly smart bot digest their requests, though only in incredibly limited circumstances for now. According to Google, the AI Mode agent can currently do one thing: help users find restaurant reservations.
[7]
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And while Google's news of the AI Mode agent released on Thursday makes it seem like there's a high degree of customization in what it can do, that's sadly not the case - there's lots of new data accessible to Gemini in AI mode, but those customization features don't carry over to the new AI agent.
Every AI Mode user who has opted into the experiment will begin to see highly-tailored results in AI mode, Google explained in its press release.
[9]
Google takes a whole slew of personal data, like previous AI conversations, searches, or links selected in Search or Maps, and infers a preference for a particular food and indoor or outdoor seating. If a user tells AI Mode that they only have an hour and need a quick meal, that will be accounted for too, said Google.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to The Register that those customization features don't apply to the new AI Mode agent, which currently has no personalization features, rendering it far less useful than what the regular AI Mode can do when it comes to understanding its user.
To be fair, AI Mode agents can "find real-time availability for restaurants," Google noted, and it even "does the legwork and links you directly to the booking page" while leaving the final few steps up to the user. So, unlike the AI mode itself, the agent can take you to the booking stage, but it's not going to take anything about you into account.
[10]AI agents don't care about your pretty website or tempting ads
[11]Google AI Overviews are killing the web, Pew study shows (again)
[12]Google crowns Jules to be its agent and spreads the AI love
[13]AI agents? Yes, let's automate all sorts of things that don't actually need it
Google said that it's been working with partners like OpenTable, Resy, and Tock to integrate restaurant information. Future agentic capabilities will include local service appointments and event tickets, which Google said will be provided with the help of Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, and Booksy. It's not clear when those future agentic capabilities will be released.
It's also not clear, for that matter, when the greater public will have a chance to fiddle with AI Mode agents, as the new capabilities are... ahem... Ultra exclusive, by which we mean reserved for those who've opted to pay $250 a month for Google AI Ultra.
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Part of the reason for that exclusivity is Google's [15]Project Mariner , [16]a Gemini 2.0 agent system that uses Chrome to perform tasks autonomously. Access to Mariner-powered AI Mode agents is limited to AI Ultra subscribers. Beyond the agent preview, Ultra also includes [17]perks over the $20/month AI Pro tier such as a bundled YouTube Premium subscription, significantly more Google Drive storage, and priority access to Google's most capable Gemini models.
Google also took the opportunity on Thursday to announce an expansion of AI Mode for Search to more than 180 [18]countries , though it's only available in English, as well as new sharing features that allow users to hand off an AI Mode conversation to anyone with a link to it. The new agentic, personalization, and sharing features in AI Mode are only available in the United States. ®
Get our [19]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2025/04/10/google_agentic_ai_cloud_next/
[2] https://blog.google/products/search/ai-mode-agentic-personalized/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/06/google_launches_ai_mode_for/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/20/google_high_on_ai_flogs/
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2025/06/29/ai_agents_fail_a_lot/
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aKeW-NyrcYQB0dTHxTcBuwAAAI4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKeW-NyrcYQB0dTHxTcBuwAAAI4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKeW-NyrcYQB0dTHxTcBuwAAAI4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aKeW-NyrcYQB0dTHxTcBuwAAAI4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/27/ai_agents_confused_by_websites_ads/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/22/google_ai_overviews_suppress_search/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/21/google_crowns_jules_to_be/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/27/ai_agents_automate_argument/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aKeW-NyrcYQB0dTHxTcBuwAAAI4&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/11/google_gemini_20_flash_shines/
[16] https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/google-gemini-ai-update-december-2024/#project-mariner
[17] https://one.google.com/about/google-ai-plans/#plans-table
[18] https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/16011537
[19] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Bloody useless
It's not even that good
Re: Bloody useless
I don't understand this trend to avoid/eliminate human interactions.
Whilst it would be very nice to have my beer ready and waiting on entering the bar, there is something uplifting about interaction with the barman/barmaid etc. I don't want AI interpreting what it thinks I ought to eating/drinking/visiting (which is bound to be 'sponsored').
Re: Bloody useless
> there is something uplifting about interaction with the barman/barmaid
No, there is not. After a day at work, I do not want to speak or deal with anyone. My local restaurant allows me to sit down, scan a QR, and order.
Re: Bloody useless
Don't you have a home to go to? You can get the full misanthropic experience there with a microwave meal or a letterbox pizza.
That's it??
I would have assumed Google's AI had a few more tricks up its sleeve than that for all the grief they were giving Apple about being "behind" in AI at yesterday's event lol
When life imitates art
Yea, I immediately thought of one thing. Maybe Silicon Valley is to the tech world as The Simpsons is to everything else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACmydtFDTGs
Why is it _always_ making restaurant bookings? How often do these people book restaurants? After two decades of tech companies trying (and failing) to come up with "personal assistant" software solutions for the consumer market you'd think someone would have come up with another use case to try to sell to people.
Using past history for restaurant reservations may not be fully thought through
This uses your past history to decide which restaurant to book - seriously??
I can imagine the scenario now.
Me: It's our wedding annivesrary - I will use Google's new AI thingy to book a restaurant my wife will enjoy
Google AI: Based on your past history I have automatically booked a table at the local fast food joint
Wife: We're getting divorced
Re: Using past history for restaurant reservations may not be fully thought through
The last thing I want is an AI choosing the restaurant for me. I want to tell it "make a reservation at Chez Pricey for 7:30pm" and if after it checks it tells me there are no tables at 7:30 I can have 6:45 or 8:30 then I can tell it which of those I want or choose another restaurant.
There's never a case where I'm gonna say "make me a dinner reservation" and not care where, when, what kind of food it serves, what kind of dress code it has if I haven't been there before, etc.
Well done Google...
A disgusting amount of cash and resources burnt, to allow me unable to book a table a my favourite places to eat as they don't take internet bookings.
The likes of Google and their moronic CC-suite staff are so fucking detached from reality it is unbelievable
Bloody useless
So this glorified search thingamajig helps me search for restaurants. And it will dump me on the reservations page - if the place has one. Which it won't. Unless it's a big place. And it has no clue about whether that place is actually busy, so I need to try and book the table anyways.
Nah, thanks, I'm good. I can ring the place myself, or if it's spontaneous we are walking past anyway and can just pop in to ask if they still have a spot for, like, now.