Google Assistant on Pixel Phones Gains New 'Ask if Urgent' Option for Screening Calls from Contacts

Google Assistant on Pixels can now ask incoming callers if their call is urgent, instead of just screening the call.

For contacts, users will now have the option for the Assistant to ask "Hi, I'm a Google Assistant, is your call urgent?"

This new "Ask if urgent" option recently started rolling out to Pixel phones, including older models not just the Pixel 7/8.

The feature was first announced at the Made by Google event earlier this month.

It aims to make call screening more useful for known contacts compared to unknown numbers, where screening is effective at deterring spam.