Google Maps is getting a major artificial intelligence upgrade with the integration of Gemini, transforming the navigation app into a conversational assistant that can answer questions, adjust routes, and provide real-time insights about nearby landmarks and businesses.
The update enables users to interact directly with Gemini within Google Maps via voice or touch. Drivers and pedestrians can ask open-ended questions such as where to find coffee along their route, what historical landmarks are nearby, or whether there are any crashes ahead. Gemini combines Google’s vast geographic data with local information and web reviews to generate responses instantly within the app.
Gemini’s integration marks a significant expansion of Google’s AI strategy, which has already brought smarter search and predictive tools to products like Gmail and YouTube. Within Maps, the system can also coordinate with other Google services, such as Calendar, enabling users to set reminders or check upcoming events while navigating.
The tool’s understanding of the physical world is enhanced by Google’s Street View database and its catalog of more than 250 million mapped locations. Instead of simply giving turn-by-turn distances, Gemini can now guide drivers using recognizable landmarks like restaurants, gas stations, or parks, creating a more natural and intuitive navigation experience.
Another new capability, called Proactive Traffic Alerts, allows Gemini to monitor a user’s regular routes in the background quietly. If an accident, construction zone, or road closure appears ahead, Gemini notifies the driver and suggests an alternate route before delays occur.
Gemini also powers improvements to Google Lens within Maps. By pointing a smartphone camera at a building or street, users can receive immediate context about what they’re seeing—whether it’s the name of a restaurant, details about a historic site, or reviews of a nearby business.
Google says the new features are grounded in verified real-world data to avoid the false information sometimes produced by AI systems. The Gemini-enhanced version of Google Maps will roll out to Android and iOS devices in the coming weeks, with availability later expanding to vehicles equipped with Google-built-in systems.
Source: The Verge