Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Google Maps has already received a pack of new-generation capabilities, including the Immersive View for routes, but it doesn’t seem like the search giant wants to stop here.
The company keeps looking into ways to bring innovative features to Google Maps, and the latest idea is integrating a chatbot directly into the app.
Chatbots rapidly gain traction in the tech world, and even car companies adopt them to replace the interaction that typically involves human beings. For example, some dealerships put in place chatbots on their websites specifically to help visitors configure their cars, compare models, and lend them a hand when trying to find the right vehicle.
Google knows chatbots could eventually become integral to how we interact with software, so the company wants to bring them to its apps. Including Google Maps, that is, as a recent string spotted in Google Maps 11.105 beta suggests that the company is already working on the foundation for this feature.
The development is likely in the very early stages, so the existing beta builds don't reveal much except for the existence of a chatbot.
It's not hard to imagine how a chatbot could help Google Maps users, especially because the main purpose of this technology is to make the interaction with the application more straightforward. A chatbot would greatly enhance the exploration side of Google Maps, allowing users to get more information on specific places more easily.
For example, tourists can fire up Google Maps and ask the chatbot for places to eat. They can say commands like "I want to eat sushi," and the chatbot can look for the closest places serving sushi and make recommendations based on additional criteria provided by the user. The chatbot is unlikely to play an integral role in the navigation experience, though it could help find a destination when the driver is unsure where to go.
It can provide additional context on an address, such as where it is located, but the chatbot seems to make sense, particularly when trying to get to know a neighborhood.
It's too early to tell when Google could bring the chatbot to Google Maps, given the work is currently in the early stages, but I'm sure this is something that the search giant is committed to. ChatGPT-powered technology, AI, and machine learning have become key focuses for the company, and Google Maps spearheads its mapping efforts, so it makes sense for the platform to benefit from the integration of latest-gen technology.
Google has remained tight-lipped on any possible chatbot integration into Google Maps, so you'd better not hold your breath for an announcement. More evidence about the chatbot's progress in Google Maps should be spotted in the coming beta builds as we approach the release date.
Chatbots rapidly gain traction in the tech world, and even car companies adopt them to replace the interaction that typically involves human beings. For example, some dealerships put in place chatbots on their websites specifically to help visitors configure their cars, compare models, and lend them a hand when trying to find the right vehicle.
Google knows chatbots could eventually become integral to how we interact with software, so the company wants to bring them to its apps. Including Google Maps, that is, as a recent string spotted in Google Maps 11.105 beta suggests that the company is already working on the foundation for this feature.
The development is likely in the very early stages, so the existing beta builds don't reveal much except for the existence of a chatbot.
It's not hard to imagine how a chatbot could help Google Maps users, especially because the main purpose of this technology is to make the interaction with the application more straightforward. A chatbot would greatly enhance the exploration side of Google Maps, allowing users to get more information on specific places more easily.
For example, tourists can fire up Google Maps and ask the chatbot for places to eat. They can say commands like "I want to eat sushi," and the chatbot can look for the closest places serving sushi and make recommendations based on additional criteria provided by the user. The chatbot is unlikely to play an integral role in the navigation experience, though it could help find a destination when the driver is unsure where to go.
It can provide additional context on an address, such as where it is located, but the chatbot seems to make sense, particularly when trying to get to know a neighborhood.
It's too early to tell when Google could bring the chatbot to Google Maps, given the work is currently in the early stages, but I'm sure this is something that the search giant is committed to. ChatGPT-powered technology, AI, and machine learning have become key focuses for the company, and Google Maps spearheads its mapping efforts, so it makes sense for the platform to benefit from the integration of latest-gen technology.
Google has remained tight-lipped on any possible chatbot integration into Google Maps, so you'd better not hold your breath for an announcement. More evidence about the chatbot's progress in Google Maps should be spotted in the coming beta builds as we approach the release date.
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