By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
Updated 5:31 AM PDT, March 12, 2026
Google Maps is set to incorporate artificial intelligence more prominently in a major redesign announced on Thursday, aiming to assist users in finding places and optimizing their routes.
This update, powered by Google’s Gemini technology, will introduce two new AI features to a service that is utilized by over 2 billion users globally.
One feature, called Ask Maps, enhances the conversational AI capabilities introduced last November, providing users with suggestions for nearby charging stations, less crowded cafes, or even detailed itineraries for multi-stop road trips.
The recommendations from Gemini will leverage a comprehensive database of over 300 million locations and insights from more than 500 million contributors gathered since the launch of Google Maps over two decades ago. Google executives were tight-lipped regarding the potential for advertising options within Ask Maps to enhance business visibility. Initially, Ask Maps will be available on the mobile app for iPhone and Android users in the U.S. and India before rolling out to personal computers and other regions.
In what Google is calling the most significant enhancement to navigation directions, Gemini has also developed a new feature named Immersive Navigation. This tool will offer a 3D view, helping users better understand their surroundings as they navigate. The 3D visuals will highlight landmarks, road dividers, and other terrain features visible while driving, facilitating quicker orientation.
Google is confident that its AI safeguards can prevent the Gemini technology behind Immersive Navigation from generating false locations, a common issue known in the industry as “hallucination.”
Immersive Navigation is designed to provide clearer comparisons of various driving routes and identify the best parking options upon arrival. Initially, this AI-powered navigation will be available in the U.S. on the mobile app for both iPhone and Android, as well as vehicles compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto.
This move toward greater AI integration in Google Maps follows a trend of incorporating Gemini technology into other popular services like Gmail and the Chrome web browser, enhancing their overall functionality for billions of users. This expansion reflects Google’s confidence in the Gemini 3 model released last year amid increasing competition from emerging AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic.
MICHAEL LIEDTKE
Liedtke has reported on technology and a variety of business topics for The Associated Press since the early 2000s.
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