Drivers navigating traffic on their morning commutes will be able to do much more than just find directions and the nearest gas station on Google Maps.
In the coming weeks, Google will add its artificial intelligence-powered assistant Gemini into Google Maps, making it possible for drivers to get answers to more complex questions while they’re on the road.
Users will be able to chat with the AI assistant by saying “Hey Google” or tapping on the Gemini icon in Google Maps. Google Maps currently has an AI assistant within the app but the questions it can answer are limited.
In a demonstration of how Gemini works in Google Maps, the assistant answered questions about budget-friendly vegan restaurants along a driver’s route and parking options. It even added a calendar event for soccer practice.
“It really is like having a friend who’s a local expert sitting right next to you in the passenger seat,” said Vishal Dutta, group product manager for Google Maps at a virtual press event.
Google Maps users will be able to use their voice to report a crash. The AI assistant will also summarize information such as sports results, emails and the news as people are commuting to and from the office.
Google said it also built a new feature, called Lens built with Gemini, where people can use the AI assistant by clicking on the camera icon when they stumble across an unfamiliar place on a map. They can ask the assistant why a restaurant is so popular or what the ambiance is like inside before deciding whether to spend time there. That feature will roll out later in the month.
The product updates are examples of how the Mountain View, Calif., company is integrating new AI-powered features as it competes with tech companies such as OpenAI, Meta and Apple that also have AI assistants. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, has been going up against Google with new products, such as a new web browser, to rival Google Chrome.
As the AI race heats up, companies are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers, talent, research and development.
While Google and its parent company Alphabet saw the potential of generative AI early, some critics say they’ve fallen behind more nimble startups. Google is hoping it can regain its edge because of the kind of information it has access to. It has a trove of valuable data about places and disruptions on the highway, such as crashes or construction sites.
“We’re at somewhat of an inflection point,” said Amanda Moore, product director for Google Maps at the virtual event. “We’re seeing how AI is dramatically expanding the ways we can help people do more in the real world with a map, and it’s becoming vastly more visual, immersive, fresh, predictive and conversational than ever before.”
Google Maps is a widely popular product with more than 2 billion monthly users worldwide.
The company said it tested the product in California and other places nationwide and people asked the assistant a variety of questions. With AI assistants, tech companies are playing an even bigger role in people’s daily lives and learning more about their customers.
As more people lean on AI chatbots for help with everything from shopping to companionship, it’s also sparking familiar questions about technology’s role in mental health, privacy, copyright and more. But AI can also sometimes provide incorrect answers.
Moore said the assistant should provide accurate information because it’s “grounded” in Google’s data about streets and places that exist in the real world.
Users will also have to give Gemini permission to access their services and apps like Google Calendar.
The information provided to Gemini isn’t being used to show people more targeted ads.
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