Google has announced a significant expansion of its Ask Maps feature, introducing agentic capabilities that allow users to perform complex tasks like ordering food and booking hotels directly within the application. The update enables users to request specific dishes or dining experiences through natural language, with the system identifying restaurants along a route and automatically populating a cart for checkout. This food ordering functionality is launching initially in the United States, supported by partnerships with Square and Toast, with Uber Eats integration expected to follow.
The integration of Personal Intelligence marks another major shift, allowing the chatbot to access information from a user's Gmail account to provide context-aware recommendations. By connecting to email, Ask Maps can suggest activities near a hotel based on existing reservations or advise on departure times for upcoming flights. Google emphasized that this feature is privacy-focused, with Gmail connectivity disabled by default and requiring explicit user consent to activate. Calendar integration is also planned for a future update.
For commuters, Google is introducing a live transit widget within the conversational interface. This tool provides real-time updates on delays and schedule changes for various modes of public transportation, including buses, trains, subways, and ferries. The widget is designed to offer immediate visibility into transit status, allowing users to check for disruptions without navigating away from their current conversation with the map assistant.
The update also simplifies how users contribute information to the platform. Through conversational edits, individuals can upload images of storefront signs, which the system then analyzes to suggest updates for business hours. These contributions are subject to the same verification processes as manual edits to maintain data accuracy. Additionally, if history settings are enabled, Ask Maps will now retain previous conversations, enabling users to resume planning sessions or recall past suggestions.
Geographic availability for Ask Maps is also increasing, with the service expanding to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, and Mexico. It is now available in English across more than 150 countries and territories. While the transit widget and personalized features are rolling out globally wherever Ask Maps is supported, the new food ordering, hotel discovery, and conversational contribution tools are currently limited to the United States, with plans for broader international availability in the future.