Google Maps has updated its Ask Maps conversational interface and extended the service to more countries.
Ask Maps, which was unveiled earlier this year, now enables users to find the latest information about hotels and local events. Using natural language, travelers can ask for a hotel with a certain price range and rating and Ask Maps will return real-time prices and availability.
It will also present ideas of things to do nearby, including concerts and other entertainment with links to booking.
In a blog post, Miriam Daniel, VP and general manager of Google Maps, said Ask Maps “can now handle complex, multi-step task ... using new agentic capabilities.”
“Ask Maps is Google Maps’ biggest transformation in over a decade. By bringing Gemini model capabilities together with the world’s freshest map, we’ve made it easier than ever to get answers to real-world questions,” Daniel wrote.
The Personal Intelligence functionality has been added, enabling users to connect Ask Maps to Gmail and receive suggestions relevant to existing trip plans. A transit widget is also now accessible in the conversational layer, helping travelers find transport options and stay up to date with delays.
Ask Maps is now being extended to more than 150 countries, including Australia, Brazil and Canada, following its initial launch in the U.S. and India. The hotel and event discovery elements are being made available in the U.S. currently.