Google Maps is evolving beyond a simple navigation tool. This week, Google introduced a set of AI-driven features that let Maps do more of the work for you — from ordering takeout and booking hotels to finding and linking to event tickets — all without leaving the app.
These new capabilities are part of “Ask Maps,” the conversational AI experience Google added to Maps earlier this year. Ask Maps used to focus on answering questions about nearby places. Now, it can perform multi-step tasks on your behalf, handling the back-and-forth that previously required jumping between several different apps.
What Ask Maps can do for you
Ask Maps can help with practical, everyday requests. For example, you might ask, “Where can I order a vegan burrito near home?” Ask Maps will search for restaurants that match your request, show options, let you add menu items to a cart, and complete checkout through the restaurant’s ordering platform. The tool can account for your saved places and dietary preferences if you have those set, streamlining the process of finding and ordering a meal. At launch, food ordering integrates with platforms such as Square and Toast, and additional partners are planned to be added over time.
Beyond food, Ask Maps can assist with travel planning. Say you need a hotel near a conference venue that has a gym and is within walking distance of several restaurants. Ask Maps will compare available options, check prices and availability, and present a shortlist for you to consider. It works the same way for entertainment planning: ask for nearby comedy shows or concerts and Ask Maps will surface events and provide links for buying tickets directly.
Ask Maps also supports continuity in planning. If you enable history saving, the tool can remember past conversations so you can pick up where you left off — helpful when you’re organizing a multi-stop trip or fine-tuning plans over several sessions.
Your Gmail and Calendar can plug in too
Google is expanding a feature called Personal Intelligence, which allows Ask Maps to securely connect to your Gmail and Google Calendar to deliver more personalized answers. With this feature enabled, Maps can pull relevant information from your email and calendar — for instance, telling you the arrival time of a flight by reading the confirmation in your inbox. This can make trip planning and day-of logistics faster and less error-prone.
Personal Intelligence is turned off by default and must be enabled through settings. Nothing is connected unless you explicitly opt in, and the connection only activates when you choose to allow it.
The initial rollout focuses on the U.S., where the food ordering, hotel booking, and ticket-purchasing features are already becoming available. The Personal Intelligence feature and a new live transit widget are expanding to more than 150 countries and territories, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, and Mexico. If you don’t see these options in your app yet, they should appear in the coming weeks as availability widens.
Overall, the changes reflect a broader shift in mapping services: rather than simply showing you where places are, Google Maps is moving toward completing tasks for you. By combining conversational AI with integrations into ordering platforms and personal accounts, the app aims to reduce friction and make everyday planning quicker and more convenient. As these features roll out more broadly and partners are added, Maps could increasingly become a one-stop place for discovery, booking, and execution of plans without the need to switch between multiple apps.