Google Assistant Taught To Transfer Money

Google’s digital assistant is being taught how to help its owners transfer money.

Google Assistant now can be asked to pay friends back with Google Pay. It also can be used to request money from contacts, for free, using the Assistant on Android and iOS phones in the U.S., according to a Google blog post.

The payment feature will be expanded to voice-activated speakers like Google Home in coming months.

Anyone not signed up for Google Pay will be prompted as soon as the Assistant is asked to send money to a contact.  Funds are transferred almost instantaneously, even if the recipient doesn’t have a Google Pay account. The recipient would receive an email or text message if they already have the Google Pay app, so they then can cash out.

Executing a payment would involve saying something like “Hey, Google, request $40 from Bob for the show tonight” or “Hey Google, send Debby $12 for lunch today.”

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