Google Maps is introducing a range of new artificial intelligence-powered features that go beyond navigation, allowing users to order food, find hotels and plan activities from within the app. The update is being rolled out in more than 150 countries and territories, including India.
One of the biggest additions is Ask Maps, a feature that helps users discover places based on natural language requests instead of manually applying filters.
For instance, if someone is travelling and wants a specific meal, they can simply ask the app to find restaurants serving that dish. Ask Maps checks nearby eateries, verifies whether they are open and considers saved places and dietary preferences before making recommendations. Once a restaurant is selected, users can add their preferred dish directly to their cart.
Hotels and travel plans in one place
The same AI-powered search extends to hotel bookings. Instead of browsing through multiple options, users can type detailed requests such as, "Find a budget-friendly, family-friendly hotel near a beach in California with spacious rooms." Google Maps then checks live prices and room availability before suggesting suitable options.
The app can also recommend festivals, concerts and nearby attractions based on a user's travel plans, while providing links to book tickets where available.
India gets Hindi support and personalised suggestions
Indian users are receiving additional features tailored to the local market.
Google Maps now supports queries in Hindi, allowing users to search for restaurants, tourist attractions and destinations without switching to English.
Another feature, called Personal Intelligence, is optional and can use information from connected Google services, including Gmail, to provide more relevant travel suggestions. If hotel bookings or flight confirmations are already available in a user's inbox, the app can use that information to offer recommendations that align with the itinerary.
Live transit updates also added
Google has also introduced real-time transit information for users in India. The feature provides live updates for buses, metro services, trains and ferries, helping travellers make informed decisions while on the move.
With the latest AI additions, Google Maps is gradually evolving from a navigation tool into a broader travel companion, bringing together route planning, dining, accommodation and local discovery within a single platform.