Also Google Maps is ready to open the doors to artificial intelligence, and will do so by integrating the benefits of its AI, namely “Gemini”, into the application.
Thanks to this new support, the way of interacting with what is currently the most widespread and popular smartphone navigator will completely change, given the over 2 billion registered users. It will no longer just be a matter of following the instructions provided by the program to reach the indicated destination, but of actively interacting with the Google voice assistant, questioning it and having real conversations with it.
Convenience and risks
Voice interaction, completely hands-freewill allow you to be safe behind the wheel of your car, since it will no longer be necessary to use the smartphone display to give instructions. If we wanted to obtain, for example, information on a restaurant within a maximum radius of 5 kilometers from where we are, just ask Google Maps via Geminiand in a few moments the artificial intelligence will provide detailed information, revealing the name of the place, its distance, the presence or absence of a car park or even that of charging stations for electric cars.
Considering these aspects, it seems that we are faced with infallible software, but clearly when we talk about AI, and not only with the system owned by Google, we must take into account the possibility of running into problems bugs typical of generative models. At a time when the Mountain View giant had managed to achieve a high level of precision with the Maps app, the integration with Gemini, and the related problems arising from the use of artificial intelligence, seriously risk making the program take a few steps backwards. A risk to be taken into account in such cases and which will certainly force the company to intervene often to correct the situation.
Real-time interaction
One of the most interesting aspects is certainly given by the possibility for the user to communicate via voice in real time problems along its route, reporting for example accidents or works in progress: Google Maps will receive the data and make it immediately available to everyone, also providing an important service to traffic
Another element that could simplify the lives of motorists is Gemini’s ability to provide more precise and detailed information when, for example, they have to deal with a turning point. Users often complain that when the app indicates to turn, it is not clear where to turn, but thanks to its database, Google’s AI will be able to use the visual reference of a place, a shop or a building to simplify everything, promptly reporting it to the driver.
Thanks to Google Lensalso integrated into the package, the user will also be able to use the camera of their smartphone to frame the surrounding environment and thanks to this “snapshot” obtain all the information from Gemini
on the place where he stopped: it will be, for example, possible to have clarifications on the cuisine of a particular restaurant, or even on the history of a monument that attracted our attention during the journey.