Google Maps is set to receive a significant upgrade, incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to make it more intuitive and helpful than ever. With new AI-generated responses and enhanced navigation features, you can ask Maps-specific questions and receive answers tailored to your needs. These updates aim to improve how you explore your surroundings, whether planning an outing, discovering local attractions, or navigating unfamiliar routes.
Ask Maps for recommendations powered by Gemini AI
You likely already use Google Maps to find directions, but you can soon ask for more. Using the Gemini AI, Maps will generate curated responses for any questions you ask about a place or activity. For example, if you have a friend visiting and need suggestions for evening activities, ask, “What are some things to do with friends at night?” Google Maps will suggest options like hidden speakeasies or live music venues in the area, giving you creative ideas that go beyond standard recommendations.
Gemini AI will also help you quickly understand what people think about a place. Review summaries created by AI will give you a glimpse of what others enjoy or dislike, allowing you to decide at a glance. If you’re interested in specifics—like whether a café has outdoor seating or offers a quiet environment—ask. Maps will deliver relevant answers, saving you the time it would take to read multiple reviews.
This AI-powered feature is rolling out in the United States on Android and iOS this week, with Google planning to extend similar functionalities to its Search platform in the coming months. On Search, you’ll soon find AI-powered review summaries and be able to ask detailed questions about locations, making it easier to plan activities and outings.
Discover more details along your route
Google Maps is also updating its navigation features to make planning stops along your journey easier. After setting your route, you can tap “add stops” to view nearby landmarks, scenic viewpoints, attractions, and dining options that could add something special to your drive or road trip. This feature makes planning a journey much simpler by giving you curated suggestions along your way so you won’t miss out on the best your route offers.
The app’s Enhanced Navigation mode will be especially useful in unfamiliar areas. It directly shows more detailed lane markers, pedestrian crossings, and road signs on the map. This new level of detail aims to help drivers feel more confident, even when navigating complex intersections or busy streets. Instead of sudden, last-minute turns, Enhanced Navigation guides you to the correct lane well in advance, helping you avoid stressful merges or missed turns.
Arrival guidance and parking help made it easier
With its updated arrival guidance, Google Maps is making the final stretch of your journey as seamless as possible. Maps will highlight the location’s entrance and nearby parking areas as you near your destination. When you find a parking spot, the app will prompt you to save your location so you can easily find your car later. Once parked, Google Maps provides walking directions to your destination’s entrance, which can be especially helpful if you’re in a large or unfamiliar area.
Maps also offer the option to use Street View or Augmented Reality (AR) walking navigation to help you navigate from your parked car. This feature will orient you quickly, using real-time visuals to guide you in the right direction. Lift your phone, and the app will overlay directions on the street view, showing you exactly where to go.
This week, the updated arrival guidance and route exploration features are rolling out globally on Android and iOS. Enhanced Navigation, however, will launch next month across over 30 metropolitan areas, with plans to expand further over time. With these additions, Google Maps is moving beyond just navigation, becoming a comprehensive tool for discovering and exploring your surroundings.
