Google Maps Adds AI Features to Order Food, Book Hotels Through Ask Maps

Google Maps adds agentic features, including food ordering and hotel bookings

Google announced on Thursday that Google Maps' "Ask Maps" feature is gaining a slew of new agentic capabilities, including the ability to order food, book hotels, and find event tickets. The tech giant is also bringing Personal Intelligence to Ask Maps, allowing the AI tool to personalize its responses by drawing on information from a user's Gmail and Google Calendar. The launch of the new features reflects Google's ambitions to transform Google Maps from a navigation tool into an assistant that's capable of helping users complete real-world tasks. With the new agentic food ordering capabilities, users can open Ask Maps in Google Maps and ask a question like, "Where can I order vegan avocado toast and an oat milk latte near home?" The tool will then surface nearby restaurants that have what they're looking for. After selecting a restaurant, users can tap the "Order online" option to place an order through supported platforms such as Square, Toast, or Uber Eats. Ask Maps will add the items to a cart. Users can choose to add more items to their cart, then pay for the order on the supported platform. Additionally, users can use Ask Maps to find a hotel for their next trip by entering a query like, "For next weekend's conference in downtown Miami, find me a decently priced, top-rated hotel with an artsy vibe within walking distance from a gym and restaurants." Ask Maps will then compare prices and check availability before providing a list of options. Once users find an option they like, they can click through to the partner's website to book the stay. Users can also ask questions like "what are some comedy shows or live music this evening near work" to get a list of options along with links to buy tickets. The new agentic features are rolling out to users in the U.S. With the addition of Personal Intelligence, Ask Maps will be able to give users personalized answers to their questions about upcoming flights, dinner reservations, hotels, and more. For example, users could ask, "What time will I land in Vancouver on my upcoming flight?" or "Can you recommend where to eat and what to do near my hotel?" Ask Maps will then pull information from a user's emails and calendar to provide tailored responses. It's worth noting that Personal Intelligence is off by default. Ask Maps will now also remember prior conversations, allowing users to pick up where they left off. Now, users can ask things like, "What activities had you suggested for my trip to Seattle?" and continue planning without having to start from scratch. Google is also launching a live transit widget in Ask Maps that will allow users to stay up to date on delays and conditions as they change in real time. Personal Intelligence and the live transit widget in Ask Maps are rolling out to all markets where Ask Maps is available.

Google's Ask Maps Lets You Get More Done Conversationally, Thanks to AI - CNET

Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene.... Read full bio Google is making its Ask Maps feature significantly more useful with a series of new features that will allow you to get things done via conversation. Announced on Thursday, Ask Maps is now capable of taking on agentic, multistep tasks that would normally require manual research and extra time on your part. Ask Maps was introduced earlier this year with some modest features that let you ask more conversationally for locations without being so rigid in your search. It's now getting a suite of new capabilities powered by Gemini. For example, you could use Ask Maps to find a well-lit tennis court for playing in the evening, but the new enhancements make it even smarter. Agentic AI, or AI that can perform tasks on your behalf, has been one of Google's top priorities, as seen in some of the new features like Gemini Intelligence, which will be found in the next Pixel devices running Android 17 and the upcoming release of its new laptop lineup, Googlebooks. In addition to the new features, Google is expanding Ask Maps to more countries. It's now available in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico, along with 150 additional territories, starting today. While some of the new features are currently available in the US only, others are available in all locations where Ask Maps is supported. Here's what's coming to Ask Maps. Agentic food ordering You can now use Ask Maps to order food for you without ever having to look at a menu. For instance, you can now just ask it where to find avocado toast and an oat milk latte, and Ask Maps will get to work. Since it already knows your location, it'll begin searching for restaurants that carry the items you're looking for and allow you to choose where to order from. Once selected, it'll find and add those items to your cart, then let you check out with just a few taps. Google has partnered with Toast for this new agentic ordering experience, with UberEats to follow in the future. Find a hotel Like ordering food, Ask Maps can now also take the heavy lifting out of your hotel search. All you need to do is say what type of hotel you're looking for, the location and which amenities you want, and Maps will provide you with a list of all hotels that fit your criteria. Find things to do If you're just looking for something fun to do, Ask Maps has you covered here as well. In a live demo, someone asked to find either comedy shows or live music next to where they work. Assuming you've set your work location in Google Maps, it has this information to search your specified area without needing a specific address and can provide you with a list of activities that you may want to do and order tickets right from there. Personal Intelligence If you allow it, Maps can now access your information, so you don't have to go back to your Gmail app just to hunt down a specific email for a reservation in Maps. The feature is off by default, but it can pull in relevant information to your conversation with Ask Maps. It's available starting on Thursday with Gmail, and support for Google Calendar will be available at a later date. Ask Maps remembers old conversations Ask Maps will now remember your previous conversations, which could be helpful to recall places you've researched before. So if you had Ask Maps pull up a specific restaurant you were researching and you need to try to find it again, you can just ask what restaurants it had suggested to you in the past. It will scour those older conversations and provide you with a list so you don't have to manually go searching for it yourself. Google says this feature was built with privacy in mind, and you'll need to have your history settings enabled for the feature to work. Contribute to Maps conversationally If you notice that a store's hours are incorrect or an establishment is now permanently closed, it's now easier than ever to submit these changes to Google Maps without having to go the typical manual route. Now, you can just pull up Ask Maps and tell it the changes that should be made right in the chat. As per standard protocols, Ask Maps will submit your contributions for review and approval, which can take a couple of days for the changes to appear in Maps.

You can now ask Google Maps' AI to order food for you

The AI-powered "Ask Maps" tool in Google Maps can now perform a broader range of personalized and conversational requests, including ordering food, finding hotels, and providing suggestions that factor in your existing plans. These are among several new features announced for Ask Maps today, which aim to "make it easier than ever to get more done" without having to close the Google Maps app, according to Google Maps head, Miriam Daniel. New agentic capabilities include asking Maps to order you food while considering contextual information like specific dietary needs, location, and places you've saved. For example, Google says you can ask it to "order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home" before leaving work, and Ask Maps will find open restaurants along your route back that serve that meal. When you select a restaurant, Ask Maps can automatically add the dish to your cart so you can complete the order. Food ordering is rolling out with partners like Square and Toast now, according to Google, with Uber Eats support coming soon. Ask Maps can now find hotels and local events that suit your specific requirements, such as having a particular aesthetic or being within walking distance of gyms, restaurants, and other facilities. Maps also now allows you to contribute and edit location information conversationally via Ask Maps or the Contribute tab. This includes uploading photographs like storefront signs that Maps will automatically extract information from, such as updated opening hours, before asking you to confirm the suggestion before it's submitted. Food ordering, discovering hotels and events, and conversational contributions are rolling out now in the US, with more countries to come over time. Google Maps has started adding Personal Intelligence too -- a Gemini-powered feature that personalizes AI responses by connecting to data from other Google apps. This enables the Ask Maps tool to automatically consider existing plans like upcoming flights or dinner reservations when responding to your requests. Personal Intelligence can connect Ask Maps to your Gmail to start (which is disabled by default, according to Google), with support for other apps like Calendar coming soon. Lastly, real-time transit information has also been added to the Ask Maps feature, allowing you to check live updates for any delays to your next bus, train, subway, or ferry ride. The live transit widget and more personalized responses are rolling out now to everywhere Ask Maps is available -- which as of today, has been expanded to include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan and Mexico.

Hungry Before a Trip? Gemini in Google Maps Can Order Food, Find Hotels for You

When Google Maps launched its Ask Maps feature earlier this year, it was just a Gemini chatbot that could answer questions about your trips. Now, it is getting more useful, with agentic capabilities to place food orders, find nearby hotels, and provide personalized responses. The most notable upgrade is the ability to place food orders. If you're hungry before a trip, you can now tap the Ask Maps button on the top left of the homepage and provide the chatbot with a prompt to order a meal you can pick up on the way. You could, for example, ask it to "order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home," Google says, and the feature will respond with a list of restaurants. If you have any dietary preferences or saved places, Ask Maps will take those into consideration. Once you select a restaurant, Ask Maps will automatically add your preferred item to the cart; you can then verify and complete the order. Food ordering in Ask Maps will be supported by Square and Toast at launch, with Uber Eats expected to follow soon. Google is also upgrading the feature to help you find hotels and local events, including concerts and comedy shows. Once you drop a prompt for that, Ask Maps will check real-time prices and availability before showing you a list of relevant options. If you have enabled Personal Intelligence, Ask Maps can tap into your Gmail inbox to find hotel or flight bookings and provide recommendations based on your itinerary. Additionally, if you have your Google activity history enabled, Ask Maps will remember past conversations and help pick up where you left off. Both are optional features, and you can enable or disable them whenever you'd like. To check your chat history with Ask Maps, just tap the clock-like icon on the top right. Improved Real-Time Transit Information Google is also adding two features to improve real-time information on Google Maps. You can already use Ask Maps to know how busy your daily route, a shop, or a restaurant is before you head out. With today's update, you can now ask the feature to provide the same information about a bus, train, subway, or ferry ride you're about to take. A new widget within the Ask Maps interface will then show you a departure board with information about "up-to-the-minute delays" or other conditions, Google says. A sample prompt provided by the company goes: "Is there a ferry to get to Taronga Zoo with views of the Opera House?" Additionally, Google is seeking your help to keep Google Maps' knowledge base up to date. With Ask Maps, you can chat with the AI and provide information about places, such as whether a location has more parking spaces or if something has changed there. Google will then verify the information before making it available to other users. All of these updates are rolling out to users in the US starting today and will become available in other countries over time, Google says.

Ask Maps in Google Maps rolling out Personal Intelligence, real-time transit, global launch

After rolling out in March, the Gemini-powered Ask Maps chat in Google Maps is getting a number of big updates today, including a global launch. After the US launch, Ask Maps -- find it underneath the search bar -- is rolling out in English to "Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, and Mexico, along with over 150 countries and territories." Ask Maps can now tap into Personal Intelligence, like the Gemini app and AI Mode. The first integration is Gmail, with Ask Maps now able to factor "your upcoming flight or dinner reservations, giving you relevant suggestions without you having to explain your existing plans." For example, if you're traveling, try asking: "Give me ideas on how to spend a few hours near the hotel before my flight tomorrow." You'll see nearby recommendations based on your hotel reservation in Gmail -- along with tips for getting to the airport afterwards, like what time to leave. You have to manually enable Personal Intelligence in Ask Maps, with support for Google Calendar and other apps coming soon. Meanwhile, Ask Maps now remembers past conversations to easily continue them if History settings are enabled. Simply ask, "Remind me, what activities did you suggest for my trip to Seattle?" Maps will instantly pull up your previous ideas so you don't have to start planning from scratch. In addition to traffic, Ask Maps can now tap into real-time transit information for buses, trains, subways, and ferries: "Is there a ferry to get to Taronga Zoo with views of the Opera House?" This "virtual departure board" in the chat will update in real time if there are any delays. These three features are rolling out "everywhere Ask Maps is available." New agentic capabilities allow Ask Maps to accomplish complex, multi-step tasks, like ordering food. An example prompt is "order spicy pad kee mao with seafood for me to pick up on my way home" (from work). Google will find open restaurants along your route, factor in saved places, and account for dietary needs. After you select a place, Ask Maps will place the required dish in your cart for you to finalize. Ask Maps supports Square and Toast at launch, with Uber Eats support "coming soon." There's also support for booking hotels (with Ask Maps comparing prices and availability) and finding local events. "For next week's conference in downtown Miami, find me a decently priced, top-rated hotel with an artsy vibe, within walking distance from a gym and restaurants. Ask Maps in the Contribute tab now lets you conversationally suggest edits, like "more parking is available behind the building." You can even upload a photo of a storefront sign -- Maps will detect the new hours from the image, and ask you to confirm before submitting the suggestion for you. Food ordering, hotel and event discovery, and conversational contributions are rolling out now in the US.

Google Maps is getting dangerously good at planning your day

Google Maps has spent nearly two decades helping people get from point A to point B. But if Google's latest update is any indication, simply giving directions is no longer enough. The company now wants Maps to help you plan your day, make decisions, and even take care of some of the busywork that usually comes after you've found what you're looking for. Today, Google announced a major expansion of Ask Maps, its AI-powered search experience inside Google Maps. The feature is gaining a collection of agentic tools that can help you order meals, search for hotels, and discover local events with tickets available for purchase. At the same time, Google is introducing Personal Intelligence, allowing Ask Maps to tailor recommendations using information from Gmail and Google Calendar, provided users choose to connect those services. Maps is starting to do the work for you Finding a restaurant has never been difficult in Google Maps. Deciding what to eat, figuring out whether the place serves exactly what you're craving, and then ordering it is where the process usually becomes fragmented. Google is trying to eliminate those extra steps. Instead of searching restaurant by restaurant, you can now describe what you're in the mood for in everyday language. Ask Maps can surface matching places nearby, and once a restaurant is selected, it can hand off the order through supported services such as Uber Eats, Toast, and Square. The AI can even populate the cart before you complete payment on the partner platform. The same conversational approach now extends to travel planning. Rather than scrolling through pages of hotel listings and manually applying filters, you can describe the stay you want -- whether that's an affordable hotel close to restaurants, a conference venue, or a nearby gym. Ask Maps then compares availability and pricing before presenting booking options through participating travel partners. Your calendar should soon shape your recommendations The more interesting addition may be Personal Intelligence, which gives Ask Maps extra context about what you're trying to accomplish. With permission, the feature can reference details from Gmail and Google Calendar to provide recommendations that better fit your plans. If you have a conference on your calendar or travel details sitting in your inbox, Ask Maps can use that information to deliver more relevant hotel suggestions without requiring you to spell out every detail yourself. Google is also extending the experience to entertainment. Users can ask about nearby comedy performances, concerts, or other live events happening that evening, and Ask Maps will return options along with links to purchase tickets. The new capabilities are rolling out to users in the US, and they reflect a broader shift in how Google sees Maps fitting into everyday life.

Google Maps Brings Gemini-Powered Ask Maps Feature to India

The users can ask questions in detail, like where to find a restaurant for their family or a café that is appropriate for work. The response from Google Maps includes recommendations according to the questions asked by the users. India is among the first markets to receive the updated Ask Maps experience. The new feature will help the system figure out the needs of the user, even when the query is in conversational format. Rather than typing different search terms, one can just talk about the requirements. One can ask further questions to filter the search without initiating another search session. This is all according to Google, which is trying to make it easy for people to find locations. Ask Maps: Key Features * Natural Language Search: Ask questions in everyday language instead of using keywords. * Conversational Search: Continue the conversation with follow-up questions to refine results. * Personalized Recommendations: Discover personalized recommendations about restaurants, cafes, and other sites as per preference. * Contextual Responses: Contextual awareness of the query rather than mere recognition of keywords. * Gemini AI: The use of Google's Gemini AI for giving suggestions. * Recommendation on Maps: Recommendations appear on Google Maps itself. * Itinerary Planning: Create an itinerary for a day out in one search. * Available for Android and iOS Devices: For Google Maps users in India. * Discovery Within a Chat: Discover relevant places through one chat only.