- Google is expanding Maps, Waze and Earth with useful functions built on AI
- These are, for example, conversational options and asking questions in natural language
- In Waze, it will now be possible to report the current situation in plain language, or Waze will ask questions
Google has announced a rather large upgrade to its mapping platforms, integrating Gemini generative artificial intelligence. The aim is to improve navigation, hazard reporting and map details. The main improvements are to Google Maps, where AI-based features are designed to provide users with more contextual and intuitive navigation. Other updates concern Waze and Google Earth, which use artificial intelligence to streamline hazard reporting and comprehensive data visualization, respectively.
Maps and Gemini
With more than 2 billion monthly users, Google Maps is one of the most used navigation platforms in the world. And now it’s getting bigger with Gemini AI integration, which Google is starting to push everywhere it makes sense.
Users can now ask Maps questions like “what to do with friends at night,” which will generate a curated list of options, such as places with live music. Debuting in the US this week on Android and iOS, the new conversational search uses Gemini’s summarizing and argumentation capabilities to create tailored suggestions based on data from a database of 250 million locations. There is also an AI-generated summary of user reviews, which provides a quick insight into the quality of the site and can be much more useful than the existing list of all possible reviews and reactions.
Google Maps is also expanding with a set of new navigation tools. Improved lane guidance alerts drivers to specific lanes, crossings and road signs, which drivers will appreciate at more complex intersections. The new system also alerts users to the correct lane to move into to reduce last-minute lane changes. In addition, weather-related hazard alerts, such as warnings of flooded roads or roads with reduced visibility, are now available and can be self-reported by users.
The last major innovation concerns parking assistance – such as the integration of arrival guidance, which highlights nearby parking lots and building entrances. The updates, including AI-driven suggestions and better navigation features, will be available globally on Android and iOS, with enhanced lane information coming to more than 30 metropolitan areas next month.
Waze and new conversational notifications
With the conversational update, Google promises to reduce driver distraction by making hazard reporting more intuitive and efficient. But you won’t find new functions in Waze yet. First, it starts with a few testers, and a full-scale expansion is expected only in the following months.
In addition, Waze is also introducing school zone alerts that will alert drivers when they are approaching a designated school zone.
Google Earth and urban planning
Google Earth, a traditional, if perhaps somewhat forgotten, tool for exploring satellite images and geographic data, is also not idle with the addition of generative artificial intelligence functions. Specifically, it expands with comprehensive search queries and data visualization powered by Gemini technology.
For example, urban planners can ask Google Earth to identify specific regions based on data such as the number of EV charging stations relative to the area’s size, and the system will return a detailed visualization. You can see a sample in the attached video.
So far, the features are only debuting in a limited beta version accessible only to trusted testers who sign up for early access.
Author of the article
Adam Homola
New technologies have fascinated me since an early age. Over time, my long-term interest in games and the gaming industry was naturally joined by hardware, software, internet services and, from 2022, artificial intelligence.
Google’s AI Adventure: Navigating the Future
Hold on to your GPS, folks! Google has just given Maps, Waze, and Earth a serious upgrade that your phone might just need a therapist to handle. Yes, it seems that AI is now our personal navigation assistant, because if there’s one thing the world needed more of, it’s being talked at while we’re trying to find a way to avoid traffic jams and parking lots that seem to have a black hole for spaces!
Enter Gemini, Your New AI Copilot
So, Google is rolling out their shiny new Gemini AI across their mapping platforms—because clearly, the mundane task of navigating to the nearest taco joint just wasn’t complex enough. With 2 billion monthly users, Google Maps has become a house party that no one wants to leave, and now it’s adding some pretty flashy tricks to keep us around.
Users can now ask Maps questions like, “What to do with friends at night?”—a question that can only lead to bad decisions and dubious dancing. But worry not! Gemini will dish out tailored suggestions to avoid those *really* awkward encounters with your friends’ exes in the local clubs. Just be careful, those lists might lead you to the third golfing range that week!
Lane Guidance and More: A Driver’s Dream
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? You’re driving along, then suddenly, BOOM! Complex intersections appear, and your brain short-circuits trying to figure out which lane to be in. Well, fret no more! Google Maps is adding improved lane guidance so you can finally make your lane changes a bit smoother, rather than resembling a scene out of Fast & Furious. You know what they say, it’s not the destination that matters—it’s how many lanes you *almost* get stuck in!
And don’t you just love those pesky road signs? Google Maps will now help you with weather-related hazard alerts as well. Just what we needed: your navigation app shaking its virtual head at you, saying, “No, don’t drive into that flood. Have you seen how your hair looks in pictures?”
Waze: For Those Who Just Love to Complain
Now let’s move on to Waze—the app that seems determined to turn your driving experience into a full-on social event. With conversational updates, you’ll be able to report hazards like a casual chat over coffee. “Hey Waze, there’s a pothole that could swallow a cow,”—and Waze will say, “Thanks for the heads up! You’re officially the glue of our community!”
However, don’t get too excited; these new functions aren’t ready yet. They’re still in the testing phase, because if there’s one thing we’ve learned from Google, it’s that rolling out updates is a delicate dance—like trying not to spill your drink while navigating that dance floor at a wedding. Plus, school zone alerts will grace Waze soon, alerting drivers of those notoriously slow zones where everyone drives like they’ve just had their license removed.
Google Earth: The Unsung Hero
And let’s not forget about our old friend—Google Earth. It’s like that reliable friend who still listens to CDs while everyone else is streaming. But with the help of Gemini, it’s rebranding itself for the modern age! Urban planners can finally utilize it to identify regions based on vital data, like the number of EV charging stations in an area—because nothing says “progress” quite like looking for a plug in the middle of nowhere!
Now, this power is only in beta and available to the rare few who manage to snag early access. Just imagine the exclusivity! “Hey, I’m in the beta for Google Earth,” you could say, tiptoeing around your friends like you’re cooler than an ice sculpture in the middle of December.
Conclusion: Where to Next?
So, there you have it! Google is revamping its mapping services, and it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry—on a moving vehicle. But really, with AI on board, the future is looking quite entertaining. Let’s just hope we don’t end up having to argue with our navigation app about the best routes to take. Because if that happens, we might just need therapy for our AIs too. On that note, keep those fingers away from the wrong lane, and happy navigating!
—Adam Homola
- Google is set to enhance its mapping services, including Maps, Waze, and Earth, leveraging advanced AI functionalities.
- These enhancements will enable users to engage with the platforms through natural language queries, allowing for a more conversational interaction.
- Waze users can now convey real-time traffic conditions using straightforward language, while the app will also prompt for information when needed.
In an ambitious move, Google has unveiled a significant upgrade to its renowned mapping platforms by incorporating Gemini, its generative artificial intelligence. This integration aims to enrich navigation experiences, facilitate hazard reporting, and enhance map detail accuracy. Notable advancements include AI-based features within Google Maps, crafted to offer users a more intuitive and context-aware navigation experience. Updates to Waze and Google Earth will leverage artificial intelligence to streamline both hazard reporting and data visualization, respectively.
Maps and Gemini
With over 2 billion monthly users, Google Maps stands as one of the most utilized navigation platforms globally. Following the innovative Gemini AI integration, which Google plans to implement widely, the platform is poised for new growth.
Users are now empowered to engage with Maps by asking questions such as “what to do with friends at night,” a feature that will generate a tailored list of activities, including venues boasting live music. This groundbreaking conversational search feature, which debuts this week in the US on both Android and iOS, harnesses Gemini’s summarization and argumentation capabilities to curate suggestions from an expansive database of 250 million locations. Additionally, an AI-generated summary of user reviews has been introduced, delivering valuable insights into site quality without the need to comb through extensive reviews.
Further enhancing its functionality, Google Maps is rolling out a host of new navigation tools designed to improve the driving experience. Enhanced lane guidance will notify drivers about specific lanes, intersections, and road signs, a feature sure to aid navigation in complex driving scenarios. In conjunction, weather-related hazard alerts now inform users about flooded roads and reduced visibility conditions, with the ability for users to self-report these hazards.
The latest innovation involves parking assistance, including arrival guidance that directs users to nearby parking areas and building entrances. These comprehensive updates, featuring AI-driven suggestions and refined navigation, will be made available globally on both Android and iOS platforms, with advanced lane information set to be introduced in over 30 metropolitan areas next month.
Waze and new conversational notifications
In this conversational update, Google seeks to minimize driver distractions by simplifying the hazard reporting process, aiming for a more user-friendly and efficient method. However, users will not see these new features in Waze immediately, as they are currently being tested by a select group of users, with a broader rollout anticipated in the coming months.
Waze is also incorporating school zone alerts to warn drivers when they’re approaching designated school areas, enhancing safety during school hours.
Google Earth and urban planning
Google Earth, an established tool for viewing satellite imagery and geographic information, is being revitalized through the addition of generative AI features. This update includes advanced search functionalities and data visualization powered by Gemini technology.
This allows urban planners to utilize Google Earth to analyze specific areas based on various metrics, such as the density of EV charging stations relative to the local area’s size, providing a detailed and visual representation of the data. A demonstration of this can be found in the attached video.
Currently, these features are being introduced in a limited beta version, exclusively accessible to select trusted testers who enroll for early access.
Author of the article
Adam Homola
New technologies have fascinated me since an early age. Over time, my long-term interest in games and the gaming industry was naturally joined by hardware, software, internet services and, from 2022, artificial intelligence.
Update Waze Android
And iOS devices in the coming months. As these features roll out, users can expect a significantly more intuitive and personalized experience that helps simplify complex navigation scenarios and enhance overall traffic safety.
Waze is also set to capitalize on these advancements, introducing features that allow users to report traffic conditions conversationally. The app will enable drivers to provide updates on hazards, like potholes or accidents, with plain language phrases, fostering a more cohesive community of drivers who assist one another. Additionally, the long-awaited school zone alerts will help ensure that motorists are reminded of reduced speed limits and heightened caution required when driving near schools, thus promoting safer driving behaviors during peak school hours.
Google Earth, although not as prominently featured, will undergo a renaissance through the integration of Gemini AI, allowing urban planners and environmentalists to rapidly analyze geographic data. This tool will significantly benefit those looking to understand trends in urban development, guiding better infrastructural investment decisions in favor of sustainability and community growth.
Google’s suite of mapping services is on the verge of becoming not only more user-friendly but also smarter, thanks to the capabilities introduced by Gemini. The aim is to make navigation smoother, safer, and more enjoyable for the billions of users who rely on these applications every day. As the rollout progresses, it will be fascinating to see how these innovations shape the future of navigation and urban planning, making them not just tools but companions on our daily journeys.
Stay tuned for more updates as Google’s AI-driven improvements hit the streets!
