Google Maps can now order food, book hotels for you
What's the story
Google has announced a major update for its "Ask Maps" feature in Google Maps. The new capabilities include the ability to order food, book hotels, and find event tickets. The tech giant is also introducing Personal Intelligence into Ask Maps, enabling the AI tool to customize responses based on data from a user's Gmail and Google Calendar accounts.
Feature evolution
Evolving Maps into a full-fledged assistant
The addition of these new agentic capabilities shows Google's plan to evolve Google Maps from a simple navigation tool into a full-fledged assistant.
This would help users complete real-world tasks more efficiently.
For instance, with the new food ordering feature, users can use Ask Maps to find and order specific dishes from nearby restaurants.
Travel planning
Ask Maps can now find nearby comedy shows, live music
The updated Ask Maps feature also simplifies hotel bookings for trips. Users can enter specific criteria, such as price range, vibe, and proximity to amenities.
The tool then compares prices and checks availability before presenting a list of options.
Plus, users can find events like comedy shows or live music near their workplace this evening and get links to buy tickets directly through the app.
User personalization
Personal Intelligence in Ask Maps
The introduction of Personal Intelligence into Ask Maps will allow it to provide personalized answers to questions about flights, dinner reservations, hotels, etc.
For example, if you ask "What time will I land in London on my upcoming flight?" or "Can you recommend where to eat and what to do near my hotel?" the tool will pull information from your emails and calendar for tailored responses.
Conversation continuity
Ask Maps can now remember past conversations
The latest update also lets Ask Maps remember past conversations, so you can continue from where you left off. This way, you can ask follow-up questions like, "What activities had you suggested for my trip to Germany?" and continue planning without starting over.