Google Maps announced a set of new capabilities for its AI-powered “Ask Maps” tool in August 2026, including the ability to order food, find hotels and local events, and draw on data from other Google apps to personalize responses.
The most notable addition is agentic food ordering. Users can ask Ask Maps to find a restaurant and place an order based on specific criteria — for example, requesting a dish to pick up along a commute route home. When a restaurant is selected, Ask Maps can automatically add the item to a cart for the user to complete the purchase. The feature is launching with partners Square and Toast, with Uber Eats support coming soon.
Ask Maps can now also search for hotels and local events based on detailed requirements, such as proximity to gyms or restaurants, or a specific aesthetic. Separately, users can now contribute and edit location information conversationally, including uploading photos of storefront signs from which Maps will automatically extract details like updated opening hours before prompting user confirmation.
Google is also rolling out Personal Intelligence to Google Maps — a Gemini-powered feature that connects Ask Maps to data from other Google apps. Initially, it links to Gmail, allowing Ask Maps to factor in existing plans such as upcoming flights or dinner reservations when responding to queries. Gmail integration is disabled by default, according to Google. Support for Calendar and other apps is described as coming soon.
Real-time transit updates have also been added to Ask Maps, enabling users to check live delays for buses, trains, subways, and ferries.
Food ordering, hotel and event discovery, and conversational contributions are rolling out now in the US. Ask Maps itself has also expanded to Australia, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, and Mexico. Google Maps head Miriam Daniel said the updates aim to make it easier to “get more done” without leaving the app.
Source: The Verge