Google Maps Redesign: AI-Powered Trip Planning & Navigation

0:00This is Global News Today. Every region, every story, every day. Google has rolled out a big redesign for maps, leaning hard on its Gemini Artificial Intelligence to make trip planning and navigation smarter. The update brings two main tools to the app, used by two billion people around the world. Ask Maps builds on chat features to suggest spots like nearby chargers, cafes without long waits, or full road trip itineraries with stops. This comes after Google added conversational smarts to Maps last November, and now Gemini takes it further for more personalized advice on the go. Immersive navigation marks the biggest shift in driving directions, offering three-dimensional views that highlight landmarks, road medians, and terrain to help drivers get their bearings fast. It also breaks down the upsides and downsides of route options, plus spots to park at the end. Users seem excited about these changes, as they promise less confusion behind the wheel and quicker decisions. Google says its AI safeguards are solid enough

1:02to avoid made-up locations, a common glitch called hallucination. For now, the new navigation rolls out only in the United States on iPhone and Android apps, plus cars with car play or Android Auto. This fits Google's push to weave Gemini into Gmail and Chrome 2, as it ramps up against rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic. The daily news now is powered by our sponsor. If earbuds fall out when you sleep, this is for you, a pillow with built-in sound, S-O-L-L-I, solely pillow.com.