Arc Search’s new Call Arc feature lets you ask questions by ‘making a phone call’ | TechCrunch

Arc Search, the new app from The Browser Company, is introducing a way for users to get quick answers on the go using their voice. The AI-powered feature, Call Arc, works by essentially getting users to place a quick phone call to get answers to queries. 

While Arc Search already offers Voice Search, the new feature is designed to be a fun way for people to get quick answers on the go. Call Arc can help answer immediate and small questions, according to the company. 

To access the feature, open the app and then hold the phone to your ear and begin asking your question. The app will then work to provide you with instant voice responses. 

The company says Call Arc is a new take on voice search that delivers answers faster than typing, while also making the experience as easy as picking up the phone and calling a friend. 

Say you’re making dinner and have a few questions about how to prepare your ingredients. You can ask it questions like, “How long should I cook spaghetti for?” The app will give you an answer, and you can then ask another question, like, “Why should I keep some of the pasta water?” 

You can then keep chatting with the AI as you make your dinner and ask any questions that may arise during the process. While listening to the answer, users see an animated smiley face on screen, with a mouth that moves as it delivers the audio answers to your questions.

The Browser Company launched Arc Search in January to give users an app dedicated to answering queries. The app features a “Browse for me” function that offers a neatly built web page with information about the search query. The feature, powered by models from OpenAI and others, reads at least six web pages and builds a new page with information for the user for each query.

In March, TechCrunch learned that The Browser Company raised $50 million in a round led by Pace Capital at a $550 million valuation.