Plain English, no jargon, as always.
Good morning, and happy last week of September! This week’s AI news has a very practical flavor. The biggest story is about something almost all of us dread — waiting on hold — and there are two smaller ChatGPT updates worth knowing about, one of which takes just two minutes and could help keep your account safe.
Let’s dive in.
The Big Story: Google’s AI Can Now Make Phone Calls for You
Picture this: you need to move a doctor’s appointment, check whether the hardware store has a certain part in stock, or change a dinner reservation. Normally that means dialing, pressing “1” for this and “3” for that, and listening to hold music for who knows how long.
This week, Google started testing a feature called “Call for Me.” You tell Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, what you need — and it places the call for you. It can work its way through the automated phone menus, wait on hold, and then actually talk to the person who picks up.
A few things that make it more reassuring than it sounds:
- It tells the business it’s an AI. When a real person answers, Gemini introduces itself as an AI assistant calling on your behalf. No pretending to be you.
- You can watch the whole call. A live written transcript shows up on your screen, so you can read along as the conversation happens.
- You can jump in anytime. If something goes sideways — or you’d just rather handle it yourself — you can take over the call with a tap.
Who can use it right now? Honestly, very few people. For now it’s an early test limited to people in the U.S. who own Google’s newest phone (the Pixel 11), pay for a Gemini subscription, and have signed up for a test version of Google’s phone app. So there’s nothing you need to go find today.
Our take: This is a genuinely useful idea, especially for anyone who finds long phone menus frustrating or has trouble hearing on the phone. It’s worth keeping an eye on as it becomes more widely available. We’ll let you know when that happens.
One Important Safety Thought
As more AI assistants start making phone calls, you may someday receive a call from one — for example, a business confirming an appointment. That’s fine. But keep this simple rule in your back pocket:
A legitimate AI caller will tell you it’s an AI and will never pressure you to send money, gift cards, or personal information. If any caller — human or AI — asks for money or your Social Security, Medicare, or bank details, hang up and call the organization back using a number you know is real.
For more on phone scams, see our guide: Is AI Safe for Seniors? What You Need to Know →
A 2-Minute Safety Check for ChatGPT Users
If you use ChatGPT, here’s a small but helpful new feature. It’s called Security History, and it shows you a list of recent activity on your account — every time someone signed in or out, along with the approximate time, location, and type of device.
Why it matters: If you ever see a sign-in from a place you’ve never been or a device you don’t own, that’s a sign someone else may have gotten into your account.
How to check it (on a computer, at chatgpt.com):
- Click your profile picture or initials (usually bottom-left).
- Click Settings.
- Click Security and login.
- Click Security history.
Take a quick look. If everything matches your own computer, tablet, or phone — great, you’re all set. If you see something you don’t recognize, change your password right away and consider turning on two-step verification (an extra code sent to your phone when you sign in).
Note: The locations shown are approximate, so a nearby town instead of your exact town is normal and nothing to worry about.
ChatGPT Can Now Show You Your Credit Score — Should You Use It?
OpenAI also announced that people who pay for ChatGPT (the Plus and Pro plans) in the U.S. can now connect their Experian credit report to ChatGPT. Once connected, ChatGPT can show your credit score, explain in plain English what’s helping or hurting it, and alert you to changes like a new account opened in your name.
That last part could be genuinely useful — an unexpected new account is one of the early warning signs of identity theft.
But here’s our honest advice: This is completely optional, and there’s no rush. Your credit information is some of the most sensitive information you have. Before connecting it to any app, ask yourself whether you’re comfortable with that. You can already get free credit reports directly from the credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com — the official government-authorized site.
If you do decide to try the ChatGPT feature, make sure you’re doing it inside the real ChatGPT app or at chatgpt.com — and never through a link someone emails or texts you.
The Bottom Line
This week’s news points in a hopeful direction: AI is starting to take tedious chores off our plates, like sitting on hold. At the same time, the more AI does for us, the more important it becomes to stay in control — reading along, checking our accounts, and never handing over money or personal details to an unexpected caller.
Your one small action this week: If you use ChatGPT, take two minutes and check your Security History. It’s a simple habit that helps keep you safe.
See you next week!
New to ChatGPT? Start here: ChatGPT for Seniors: A Plain English Beginner’s Guide →
Looking for the best AI tools to try? See: 7 Best AI Tools for Seniors in 2026 →