Recently, there are indications that Google may introduce an 'AI Reply' option to the call screening feature in its 'Phone' application. A line of code uncovered by 9to5Google hints that the app will generate 'new AI-powered responses' based on user interactions with call screening.

Google extensively introduced the call screening feature in Android 12, enabling users to filter incoming calls and allowing Google Assistant to inquire about the caller's identity through audio prompts, thereby eliminating the need for users to personally answer calls. In late last year, Google added a 'Contextual Reply' feature, which provides customized audio responses based on the context of the call. In March of this year, Google further updated the call screening feature to allow responses even when the caller remains silent.

Google appears to be leveraging AI technology to further enhance this feature, aiming to better comprehend the purpose of incoming calls and generate more appropriate responses. This initiative may be part of the 'multi-step, multi-turn conversational AI' that Google mentioned last year, potentially rendering call screening more efficient.