It was bound to happen eventually: Gemini AI is making its way to Google Maps. This will give Maps two main capabilities: curating your activities and responding to your requests.
Let’s say your friend is in town and he asks you to meet him. To relieve yourself of the responsibility of being the perfect host, you can now ask Google Maps “things to do in New York City at night with friends” and get a list of places that best suit your request. The list will contain all the important details, such as opening hours and prices. You can always change the prompt and generate new lists.
Let’s say you found a place on the list that you want to visit. Previously, when you clicked on it, you would get detailed information about it and a long list of reviews that you could scroll through. Now, the Gemini Assistant on Google Maps will summarize all the reviews posted about the establishment. Thus, you can save time by reading people’s opinions in a few lines at the top of the page.
Google Maps can also talk to you like a regular AI assistant. You’ll now see a question box where you can ask about a place, such as “Is there parking here?” “Are there any outdoor tables?” or “What’s the atmosphere like?” and get answers to all your questions in real time. This will help you save the effort you spend on browsing the bar’s information page or, even worse, scrolling through reviews to get an answer to your query.
The aforementioned features will be available in the US on Android and iOS this week. The company says that review summaries and the ability to ask detailed location questions will also be coming to Google Search “in the coming months.”
To clarify, Gemini’s results on Google Maps will be the same as if you asked Gemini in its app. The only big update is that the AI assistant will now live on Maps, so you won’t have to switch between apps. Those who are tired of artificial intelligence being shoved everywhere lately won’t be thrilled with these updates. But of course, Google couldn’t help but inject the best app of all time with its AI chatbot.
This update also includes a few changes to the navigation. Now, when you enter a destination, you’ll instantly see all the major attractions, points of interest, scenic spots, and places to eat that are on your way. This will save you the effort of finding them manually.
Google will now better inform you of upcoming lane merges when you’re driving. The company claims that with “enhanced navigation,” it will help you spot pedestrian crossings and road signs. You’ll also be able to see and report weather events such as flooding, uncleared or foggy roads. This feature comes just in time for the winter months.
In its new updates, Google is also introducing arrival directions. Proximity Guidance is designed to provide a streamlined route from your parking spot to the door of your destination. It shows you where to park, reminds you not to forget to park, and once you’re parked, provides directions to the entrance of your destination.
The feature of previewing your route, seeing and notifying you of weather hazards, and arrival tips will all be launched globally on Android and iOS this week. Next month, the enhanced navigation features on Android and iOS are expected to be available in more than 30 U.S. subways, with “plans to expand to more locations over time.”
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