Google expands Ask Maps in India with major AI-powered overhaul: What's changed

Google has rolled out a major AI-powered overhaul for its Ask Maps service in India, introducing Hindi language support, live public transport updates, and personalized features. This update, described as the biggest transformation to Google Maps in over a decade, combines AI capabilities with the company's extensive mapping database to deliver contextual recommendations and travel guidance. Users can now interact with Ask Maps in Hindi, making the service more accessible to a broader segment of Indian users.

Additionally, Google has introduced Personal Intelligence, an optional feature that securely connects Ask Maps with Gmail, Calendar, and other Google apps. This integration allows users to request travel recommendations based on their existing plans, such as hotel bookings, flight itineraries, and dinner reservations. For instance, a user with a hotel reservation can ask Ask Maps for nearby attractions or restaurants to visit before their flight, reducing the need to repeatedly explain their plans.

The service also gains the ability to remember previous conversations, enabling users to resume past travel-planning sessions by asking the service to recall previous recommendations. Moreover, users will benefit from real-time updates on road traffic, weather conditions, and crowd levels at various locations, helping them make more informed decisions before leaving home.

Public transport users can now access a dedicated transit widget within Ask Maps, providing live schedules and delay information for buses, metro services, and trains. This feature offers real-time departure times, route updates, and connecting travel options. For example, at ISBT Kashmere Gate in Delhi, users can view live departure times for intercity buses, local bus services, and the Delhi Metro, with estimated waiting times adjusting automatically if a service is delayed.