Google today announced a slew of new AI-powered updates at the company's Google for India event, including the availability of its Gemini Live Conversations model in Hindi and 8 other Indian languages, the addition of video mode to Google Lens, and enhanced fraud protection on Google Play Protect.
However, one feature that will probably impact the lives of Indian users more than anything else is the availability of real-time alerts on your route about low visibility areas created by fog and rain, as well as flooded areas. This could be particularly useful for travellers who are used to using Google Maps for their daily commute.
Google Maps is also using AI to help users explore and rate their places of interest with a new 'helpful reviews' feature. The new feature, which will launch later this month, will show users summarized reviews about a restaurant by leveraging the power of Gemini AI. Google says these summaries will help users understand what people are saying about a restaurant without having to read all the reviews, and in turn help Maps users decide which restaurant to go to.
In addition, Google Maps now allows users to search not only for places, but also for specific items and experiences, such as themed birthday cakes or unique picnic spots. The new feature works with Gemini powered image recognition algorith, which analyses billions of images shared by the Google Maps community to deliver relevant and 'photo-first' results.
In another related update, Google also announced that the AI Overviews feature, which allows users to get a summary of their search results, is now available in Telugu, Tamil, Bengali and Marathi. Previously, the feature was only available in English and Hindi in India.
