Google Maps will show AI-powered review summaries in India

Google is adding new AI-powered features on Maps in India including AI-powered summaries, the ability to search for experiences, and weather alerts.

The Maps app will analyze reviews and show summaries of places, it said. The company made the announcement at its annual Google for India event on Thursday.

Additionally, users will be able to search for items and experiences on Maps — such as requesting “unique picnic spots” or “themed birthday cakes”, to find cake sellers.

When people ask such queries, Google Maps will show an image-first experience which prioritizes displaying photos that businesses and users have uploaded, the company said.

Google has used image recognition to associate labels or descriptions of places with such queries.

The company also said that users will see new weather alerts for low-visibility areas due to fog and flooded roads while navigating.

The bundle of new features will be rolled out to users in India starting later this month. AI-powered review summaries already debuted on Maps in the U.S. back in February. Google’s competitor, Yelp, also shows summaries of businesses on its revamped feed in the U.S.

In July, Google added a range of India-specific features for Maps, including better navigation guidance, better navigation of flyovers (overpasses) and narrow roads,  EV charging stations, and community-powered lists for place discovery in select cities.