When You Call a Restaurant, You Might Be Chatting With an AI Host

A pleasant female voice greets me over the phone. "Hi, I'm an assistant named Jasmine for Bodega," the voice says. "Do you have patio seating," I ask. Jasmine sounds a little sad as she tells me that unfortunately, the San Francisco–based Vietnamese restaurant doesn't have outdoor seating. Rather, her tone is a feature, a setting.