Google Maps Launches Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation, Both Powered by Gemini

On March 12, 2026, Google introduced two major new features for Google Maps, bringing its Gemini AI models deeper into the navigation platform used by more than 2 billion monthly users worldwide.

The new tools — Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation — were announced on March 12, 2026, in a blog post by Miriam Daniel. Both features use Google’s Gemini to change how people search for places and navigate while driving.

“Today, Google Maps is fundamentally changing what a map can do,” Daniel wrote. “By bringing together the world’s freshest map with our most capable Gemini models, we’re transforming exploration into a simple conversation and making driving more intuitive than ever with our biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade.”

You Can Now Turn PDFs Into Cinematic Videos With Google NotebookLM — Here’s How It Works

Google replaced NotebookLM’s slideshow-based Video Overviews with fully animated cinematic videos. Here is what was launched, who can access it, and how to get started.

TechloyDamilare Odedina

Ask Maps: Searching With Natural Questions

The first feature, Ask Maps, introduces a conversational search experience inside Google Maps.

Users can tap a new Ask Maps button in the app and type questions in natural language instead of using traditional search queries. Gemini then interprets the request and returns relevant suggestions alongside a map.