Google’s AI Assistant Now Books Travel in Labs

Google’s latest Search Labs experiment introduces a significant upgrade to its AI Mode, enabling the assistant to actively search for and book restaurant reservations, event tickets, and wellness appointments across multiple platforms. This new functionality aims to streamline the discovery and booking process, allowing users to find real-time availability and compare options through a single query.

Robby Stein, Google’s Vice President of Product for Search, announced the rollout on social media platform X. He confirmed that all U.S.-based Search Labs participants can now access these booking features, with enhanced capabilities and higher usage limits available to subscribers of Google’s premium AI Pro and Ultra tiers.

The enhanced AI Mode now performs comprehensive searches across numerous websites for three primary booking categories. Users receive curated results showing available time slots for restaurants, ticket options for events, and appointment openings for wellness services. The system provides direct links to complete transactions on the service providers’ websites.

For restaurant reservations, users can specify their party size, preferred timing, neighborhood, and cuisine type. A demonstrated example shows someone requesting “a dinner reservation for 3 people this Friday after 6pm around Logan Square” while mentioning specific food preferences. The AI returns available booking times with direct reservation links.

Event ticket functionality allows premium subscribers to search for concerts and performances while specifying budget and seating preferences. Users might request “2 cheap tickets for the Shaboozey concert” while indicating standing floor ticket preferences, with the system presenting relevant options and pricing.

Wellness appointment booking enables Pro and Ultra subscribers to find available slots across local service platforms. The AI scans multiple booking sites to surface real-time availability and directs users to complete their appointments through the service providers.

The underlying technology works by scanning multiple booking platforms simultaneously, aggregating real-time availability, and presenting organized results. Users then proceed directly to the service provider’s website to finalize their reservations or purchases, maintaining the security and familiarity of established booking systems.

Access to these features requires several conditions: a personal Google Account managed by the user, activated Web & App Activity settings, Search Labs enrollment, U.S. location, English language preference, and being at least 18 years old. These requirements help ensure the system functions properly while maintaining user security.

This development represents a meaningful shift in how people discover and compare booking options online. By consolidating what typically requires visiting multiple websites into a single query, Google’s AI reduces the steps needed to find suitable reservations and appointments. The transaction itself remains on the service provider’s platform, but the discovery and comparison stages become significantly more efficient.

Google emphasizes this remains an early-stage experiment that may occasionally produce errors. The company encourages user feedback to enhance the system’s accuracy and performance. The rollout is occurring gradually, with availability expected to expand in the coming days as Google refines the technology based on user experience and input.

(Source: Search Engine Journal)