A new category of automated customer interaction is emerging faster than many local businesses can adapt. According to a recent study by Invoca, phone calls from Google's AI agents - which contact businesses on behalf of consumers to request pricing and availability - surged by 324% in November 2025 compared to October. While still a small fraction of total call volume, this explosive month-over-month growth signals a rapid shift in consumer research behavior, and many businesses are struggling to handle these calls effectively.
Quick Intel
Google's AI calling feature, which contacts local businesses for consumers, saw a 324% surge in call volume in November 2025.
On average, 26% of these AI-initiated calls go unanswered by businesses.
Even when answered, businesses fail to provide pricing information on 48% of calls, often because they require an in-person visit for a quote.
The feature is currently available for searches in industries like automotive repair, plumbing, veterinary services, and hair salons.
Industries with the highest call volume spikes include plumbing (over 650% increase) and veterinary services (over 1,700% increase) in November.
The study advises businesses to track, analyze, and train staff specifically for these AI-driven interactions to avoid losing potential customers.
A Rapid Acceleration in AI-Driven Consumer Research
Google began testing its AI agent calling feature in July 2025, allowing consumers to have an AI call multiple local businesses to gather pricing and appointment information, which is then summarized and sent to the user. After minimal activity in the initial months, adoption accelerated sharply: call volumes increased 162% in October and then another 324% in November. Notably, 66% of all tracked AI agent pricing calls from Google occurred in November alone, indicating a tipping point in user adoption.
Key Performance Gaps: Unanswered Calls and Missed Quotes
The Invoca data reveals two critical failure points for businesses. First, a significant number of calls are never connected, with an average of 26% going unanswered across industries. Performance varies, with auto repair and pest control businesses answering over 75% of calls, while plumbing and veterinary services answer only about 65-66%.
Second, the conversion of these calls into useful information is low. For calls that are answered—whether by a person or a business's own AI answering system—pricing information is not provided nearly half the time (48%). This is particularly acute in home service industries like plumbing and pest control, where staff often tell the AI agent that on-site visits are required for estimates, resulting in a dead end for the consumer's research process.
Strategic Recommendations for Adapting to AI Agents
In response to these findings, the study outlines actionable steps for businesses to optimize for this new channel. A primary recommendation is to ensure Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems can route these calls correctly, as Google's AI does not select menu options and will simply wait silently for a human agent. Businesses are also advised to coach staff to recognize the nature of these calls and provide clear, concise pricing or appointment availability to increase the chance the consumer selects them from Google's summary.
Furthermore, companies using their own AI voice agents must train them not to ask for a caller's contact information—which Google's AI will not provide—and to instead deliver the requested data directly. Finally, marketing teams should exclude these AI agent calls from traditional lead nurturing and retargeting campaigns, as there is no consumer contact information to follow up with.
The accelerating volume of AI-agent calls represents a fundamental change in the early stages of the buyer's journey. Businesses that proactively adapt their call-handling protocols and staff training for these non-human interactions will be better positioned to capture leads in an increasingly automated research landscape, while those that ignore the trend risk losing market share to more adaptable competitors.
About Invoca
Invoca is an AI-powered revenue execution platform that connects marketing, commerce, and contact center teams to orchestrate seamless buyer journeys and turn every interaction into measurable, profitable growth. The Invoca platform features deep integrations with leading technology partners, enabling revenue teams to connect paid media investments to business outcomes, improve digital engagement, and convert more leads into sales.
Invoca's AI vision centers on using trustworthy, first-party data to deliver AI that is intelligent, authentic, and empathetic — connecting digital and human experiences to build lasting customer relationships. Top consumer brands, including DIRECTV, Mayo Clinic, Mutual of Omaha, and Verizon, rely on Invoca to power profitable growth. Invoca has raised $184M from leading investors, including Upfront Ventures, Accel, Silver Lake Waterman, H.I.G. Growth Partners, and Salesforce Ventures.
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