TL;DR
- Google Maps is introducing a new way to discover places regardless of how specific, broad, or niche your inquiry is.
- The feature uses Google’s LLMs to analyze over 250 million places and insights from the community.
- Early access to the feature starts this week for select Local Guides.
Google is still finding new ways to implement AI into all of its products. The latest AI experiment from the tech giant lets generative AI help users find places of interest in Google Maps regardless of how specific, broad, or niche their inquiry is.
Today, Google announced it is introducing a new way to help you find the places you want to go in Google Maps. According to the firm, this feature relies on the company’s large-language models (LLMs) to analyze information on over 250 million places and insights from the community. When used, the feature will provide you with suggestions on destinations you may want to check out.
One example Google provides is looking for things to do on a rainy day. If you type “activities for a rainy day” into the prompt field, it will reportedly provide recommendations for indoor activities like comedy shows, movie theaters, and more.
You’ll also be able to ask follow-up questions that take your previous prompt into account. Say that you want to go somewhere with a vintage vibe, the feature will then provide indoor activities at locations that fit that request.
In addition, says these results will be organized in categories. Along with those categories, you’ll be presented with photo carousels and review summaries of those places. And if you like where you went, you’ll also be able to save the location to a list and share it with friends.
Google describes the generative AI feature as an experiment and says it is launching in early access this week in the US. However, it will only be available to select Local Guides.