The AI-powered “Ask Maps” tool in Google Maps can now perform a broader range of personalized and conversational requests, including ordering food, finding hotels, and providing suggestions that factor in your existing plans. These are among several new features announced for Ask Maps today, which aim to “make it easier than ever to get more done” without having to close the Google Maps app, according to Google Maps head, Miriam Daniel.
New agentic capabilities include asking Maps to order you food while considering contextual information like specific dietary needs, location, and places you’ve saved. For example, Google says you can ask it to “order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home” before leaving work, and Ask Maps will find open restaurants along your route back that serve that meal. When you select a restaurant, Ask Maps can automatically add the dish to your cart so you can complete the order. Food ordering is rolling out with partners like Square and Toast now, according to Google, with Uber Eats support coming soon.
Ask Maps can now find hotels and local events that suit your specific requirements, such as having a particular aesthetic or being within walking distance of gyms, restaurants, and other facilities. Maps also now allows you to contribute and edit location information conversationally via Ask Maps or the Contribute tab. This includes uploading photographs like storefront signs that Maps will automatically extract information from, such as updated opening hours, before asking you to confirm the suggestion before it’s submitted.
Food ordering, discovering hotels and events, and conversational contributions are rolling out now in the US, with more countries to come over time.
Google Maps has started adding Personal Intelligence too — a Gemini-powered feature that personalizes AI responses by connecting to data from other Google apps. This enables the Ask Maps tool to automatically consider existing plans like upcoming flights or dinner reservations when responding to your requests. Personal Intelligence can connect Ask Maps to your Gmail to start (which is disabled by default, according to Google), with support for other apps like Calendar coming soon.
Lastly, real-time transit information has also been added to the Ask Maps feature, allowing you to check live updates for any delays to your next bus, train, subway, or ferry ride. The live transit widget and more personalized responses are rolling out now to everywhere Ask Maps is available — which as of today, has been expanded to include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico.
