Software Google maps will also provide leisure tips in future thanks to AI

In future, Google's maps will not only guide users from A to B, but also provide recommendations. For example, it will be possible to ask for leisure tips or a place to go out on a Saturday evening, explained the Google manager responsible, Miriam Daniel.

The software will then display a list of suggestions with ratings and photos. Software with artificial intelligence should be able to summarize ratings from the map app and answer detailed questions about the restaurant on this basis.

The function will initially be launched in the USA. Google emphasized that the selection of suggestions will not be based on users' personal preferences, but on circumstances such as the day of the week or time of year. Places in these lists will not be sold to advertisers.

Google's AI model Gemini creates the recommendations based on data from the map service. Google wants to prevent so-called AI hallucinations, where software simply makes things up, by comparing its answers with the verified information.

Over 100 million changes per day

Google is also improving its maps with more detailed views to help with navigation. There are more than 100 million changes to the map data every day, said Chris Phillips, the Google manager responsible for geo-services. They are partly automated - and are sometimes fed in by companies and city administrations.

The Waze navigation app, which also belongs to Google, is testing a function that allows users to enter information on traffic disruptions by voice.

SDA