In a recent announcement, Google revealed that their Maps app will be getting a new generative AI feature that will aid in the discovery of new locations.
The new feature uses LLMs to sift through more than 300 million Local Guides’ contributions and 250 million Google Maps locations to provide suggestions tailored to your search. For example, by searching “Places with a vintage vibe in SF,” users can discover cool thrift stores in the Bay Area. Maps will then provide categorized shopping suggestions, along with “photo carousels and review summaries,” as explained by the business.
Compared to standard search, the new feature should feel more conversational. Asking a further inquiry like “How about lunch?” will prompt the AI to consider your past preferences in vintage dining and recommend restaurants that fit those descriptions, like a classic diner.
According to the business, the feature ought to be able to provide suggestions for extremely specific or niche queries.
Beginning this week in the United States, a small group of people called “Local Guides” will have access to the early access experiment. Local Guides are members of Google’s community who use Maps to provide other users the detailed information about various locations through reviews, facts, and photos. Other users will be able to access it soon. No other countries have been announced as recipients of the feature by the company just yet.
Several AI-powered features, such as picture results and a capability to propose particular locations when typing nebulous queries like “things to do,” were introduced in October when Google redesigned Maps to make it more similar to a search engine. Seemingly, the new generative AI feature is the next logical step in Maps’ transformation from a navigational tool to an endpoint for discovering new places.
Google wrote in their blog post, “This is just the beginning of how we’re supercharging Maps with generative AI.”
To be honest, we are very excited to see where this will go.
