Google Maps has introduced Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation backed by the power of Gemini AI models. The new updates are called transformative and will make navigation more intuitive, easier, and convenient. In this post, we are going to explore more of these features, which Google says are “fundamentally changing” what a map can do.
The new features are aimed at making navigation more efficient and straightforward. Directions now become more informative, making movement with the maps easier than ever.
Let’s talk about how Google has brought new changes to Maps in 2026:
Google Maps update with Gemini AI
What is Ask Maps?
Asks Maps is a conversational feature on Google Maps that allows users to ask questions and get instant replies. Users can find answers to the locations of cafes, public sporting facilities, etc. It can reduce the time to find specific places while traveling.
Users simply need to tap the Ask Maps button and get into a conversation with the maps. It also brings up a customized map to render the visuals of the locations in concern. The feature leverages Gemini AI; users of this AI can ask questions while on the go.
The results are delivered based on users’ locations saved or locations they have searched.
Asks Maps availability
Currently, Google Maps’ Ask Maps feature is being rolled out in the US and India for iOS and Android. Other regions will follow very soon.
Immersive Navigation
Google has called Immersive Navigation the “biggest transformation of the navigation experience in over a decade.”
The feature renders a “3D view that reflects the buildings, overpasses, and terrain” around the user. That’s not all. It can also highlight lanes, stop signs, and traffic lights, making users’ outdoor moves far more convenient and transformative. While it’s helpful for regular users on foot, it’s super convenient for drivers too.
Like Ask Maps, Immersive Navigation also uses Gemini AI models to improve spatial understanding of users’ paths and potential obstacles on the way. Therefore, it allows users to drive confidently and with awareness of what they could come across on the way.
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Immersive Navigation Availability
Maps’ Immersive Navigation is currently available in the US. Google says that the feature will be live in other regions in the coming months.
Google says that to develop a reliable itinerary, it uses information gathered from over 300 million places with reviews from its community of over 500 million contributors.
To build your itinerary, Maps analyzes information from over 300 million places, including reviews from our community of more than 500 million contributors.
