We all knew that Google was going to introduce its artificial intelligence in all its products, just like Microsoft or Apple do. Research in new technologies would be meaningless otherwise.
In this way we have been able to learn that Google is going to introduce AI into Google Maps with the promise of helping users find interesting places through the use of large language models (LLM).
The function will respond to queries about restaurant or store recommendations, for example, using its LLMs to “analyze detailed information from Maps about over 250 million places and reliable reviews from our community of over 300 million contributors to make quick suggestions on where to go”.
According to Google, this feature will be available first in the United States, with no date for arrival in other countries.
Google Maps getting to know Bard: Google’s plan
If we have to imagine a place where Google can show off its technology, the navigation app Maps is the most logical, since it is used by millions of users every day, regardless of whether they have an Android or an iPhone.
Using their experience in generative AI to accelerate that transition seems like the next logical step. The examples that Google provides of their generative AI search feature are very Google:
“Let’s say you’re visiting San Francisco and you want to plan a few hours of searching for unique vintage items. Just ask Maps what you’re looking for, like “places with a vintage vibe in SF”. Our artificial intelligence models will analyze the abundant information from Maps about businesses and nearby locations, along with photos, ratings, and reviews from the Maps community, to offer you reliable suggestions.”
Google states that with this first integration they will take a small first step, working in collaboration with the company’s Local Guides community to ensure that generative AI is used with care.
This means that, initially, only these collaborators will have access to the generative AI feature in Google Maps. Later on, the company will make it available to other users.
The local guides, which have existed since at least 2019, are described as “a global community of explorers who write reviews, share photos, answer questions, add or edit places, and verify facts on Google Maps”.
However, it is not clear how different this will be from simply searching for “vintage store” in the regular Google Maps search bar. I suppose the response will be more conversational, like a chatbot.
