Generative AI will soon arrive on Google Maps. New AI-based functions will help you find places that suit your tastes and needs. A real pocket travel guide!
For some time now, Google Maps has been aiming to become more than just a simple mapping app. The platform also doubles down on adding functionality to become a true travel guide that fits in your pocket. This is why, of course, it can rely on the artificial intelligence that Mountain View adds to all its services and products. in Blog post Published on 1any February 2024, announces that maps will receive “A new tool for discovering surroundings” Powered by generative artificial intelligence. Concretely, you will soon be able to speak to Google Maps in natural language, in order to make a specific request. In fact, the app will use Google's Large Language Model (LLM) to analyze information from more than 250 million registered places and 300 million reviews posted by its community to suggest places to visit according to your preferences, desires, and the context of the moment.
Google Maps: A real pocket travel guide
With the arrival of this functionality, Google Maps will be able to understand natural language and provide appropriate recommendations. So you will be able to perform a natural language search to ask, for example, “Places with an old soul”. The results will then be sorted by category, with a list of thrift stores or vinyl stores. The AI will also be able to adapt to the context of your query. Has it started to rain? Ask Google Maps “What are recommended activities around me on a rainy day?”It will tell you which cinemas or theaters are nearby. Do you want to go for a walk in good weather? Ask him “Outdoor places to visit in the surrounding area” To direct you to the nearest park.
Better yet, the app will be able to remember what you told it previously, in order to provide you with the most accurate and relevant answers possible. You will then be able to make an additional request such as: “What about the children?” The app will then offer you places to play indoor games and sports. The results will be organized into categories, and you'll be shown photo collections and summaries of reviews of those places. You can of course save their locations and share them with your contacts.
Initially, this AI-powered functionality will be reserved for a limited group of particularly active users — called Local Guides — in the United States. We have no history of spread in France. However, since Google has just launched its Gemini Assistant in France, the AI functionality in Google Maps shouldn't take long!
