- Google Maps will introduce AI-powered features with its Gemini technology in a major redesign
- Ask Maps will offer conversational suggestions for places and detailed multi-stop itineraries
- Gemini uses data from over 300 million places and 500 million contributors since launch
Google Maps will be overhauling its navigation features and implement more AI-powered features as a part of a prominent redesign of their application.
The revamp is spearheaded by Google's Gemini technology, which is set to add new AI features into its digital mapping service.
One tool called Ask Maps will expand upon conversational abilities that Google brought to the service last November, giving suggestions to users looking for things such as nearby places to charge their devices, cafes with short lines or a detailed itinerary for a road trip involving several stops and excursions.
Gemini's recommendations will draw upon a database spanning more than 300 million places and reviews from more than 500 million contributors that have been accumulated since Google Maps' debut more than 20 years ago.
Google executives declined to answer a question about whether the company eventually plans to sell ads to boost businesses' chances of being displayed in Ask Maps' recommendations.
Ask Maps initially will be available on Google Maps' mobile app for iPhones and Android software in the US and India, before expanding to personal computers and other countries.
The most notable change as per Google execs is the 'Immersive Navigation' feature, which will give viewers a 3D view to navigate their environments in real time, to facilitate a better understanding of their location and surroundings.
The 3D environments created by Gemini, which will include landmarks like prominent buildings, medians in the roads and other key elements of the environment around the user as they drive through them in real time, helping them understand their location much quicker.
Google also addressed the elephant in the room when it comes to AI integration in any sort of digital infrastructure, which is the risk of AI hallucinations. The tech giant said that it believes that its AI guardrails are now competent enough to stop Gemini from hallucinating made up locations when Immersive Navigation is in use.
Immersive Navigation will also improve Google Maps' ability to clearly explain the disadvantages and benefits of differing driving routes to the same location, as well as pick out the best sparking spaces once the user gets there.
The new AI-powered navigation will only be available in the US initially, on Google Maps' mobile app for the iPhone and Android, as well as cars equipped with options to activate CarPlay and Android Auto.
(With PTI inputs)
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