It’s raining announcements about artificial intelligence (AI) this week. After the presentation of two new chat robots, technology giant Google is organizing a press conference in Paris to show updates to Search and Maps. One novelty already shows the power of AI better than the other.
Find Maps directions more easily on your smartphone
Google Maps on the smartphone will show more information without you having to unlock your smartphone. The company calls this ‘directions at a glance’: they show up-to-date arrival times and when to turn. This will work for all modes of transportation: walking, cycling, or public transportation.
Extra info for electric cars
It has little to do with AI, but that doesn’t make these updates any less useful. Cars that have built-in Google Maps, such as the Renault Megane E-Tech and the Polestar 2, receive more information about charging points.
Maps will suggest charging stops when needed, even on short trips. You will soon be able to filter for very fast chargers of 150 kilowatts or more while searching for charging stations.
Finally, search results will also show places such as supermarkets where charging options are available. That way you should be able to combine charging and shopping, for example.
These new features will be made available in the coming months wherever EV charging is possible for cars with built-in Google Maps.
Find what you see on your screen
The above novelties do not immediately show the full power of artificial intelligence, but this update to the Google Assistant does. On Android phones you will be able to let them look up what is on your screen, as was possible in the past.
Suppose a friend sends a video with a beautiful flower in it. Then you can call up the Assistant and then let Google Lens find out which species it is with the push of a button.
This feature will be available to Android users worldwide in the coming months.
Combined search
In September 2021, Google proposed a way to search using combinations of words and images. From Wednesday, this so-called ‘multisearch’ or ‘combined search’ will be available worldwide on smartphones.
LOOK. This is what ‘combined search’ looks like
An example: you see a nice dinosaur cuddly toy in the store and want to give it as a gift. However, the color is not the favorite of the birthday boy. You could then open Google Lens, take a photo and then type in “green”, after which Google will look for variations on the hug in green.
Google also wants to make it possible to add “near me” to your visual search to suggest a store that sells it where you can quickly go. That feature will be rolled out outside the United States in the coming months.
LOOK ALSO. Google shows conversation with Pluto or a paper airplane. Google will soon release a version of the chatbot based on that technology
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