Google's new Ask Maps lets you search for places in plain language using Gemini AI

Editor's take

Google Maps has integrated Gemini AI to allow users to query for places and activities using natural language prompts.

This move embeds a large language model directly into a widely used consumer application, shifting the paradigm from keyword-based search to conversational discovery for location-based services. It affects how millions plan trips and explore their surroundings, potentially challenging existing travel booking platforms and recommendation engines by offering a more fluid and personalized planning experience.

Future developments to monitor include the accuracy and nuance of Gemini's responses to increasingly complex or subjective queries, such as "find a quiet cafe with good Wi-Fi near my hotel that serves vegan pastries." The success of Ask Maps will also depend on its ability to avoid the hallucinations sometimes seen in LLMs, especially when critical decisions like travel arrangements are involved.