Google Updates Travel Tools with AI Integration

Google has introduced major updates to its travel tools, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance their capabilities.

In a blog post, the company announced the changes and included video demonstrations of five new features.

One of the most significant updates is a new price tracking feature for hotels, similar to Google Flights, which is launching globally this week for both mobile and desktop browsers.

Google Maps is also being updated with a new “screenshot” list. When users enable the feature and grant access to their camera roll, Gemini automatically detects and highlights places on the map that appear in saved screenshots. This feature will roll out this week in the United States in English for Apple iOS and will soon be available on Android, according to Google.

Additionally, AI Overviews is being updated for travel planning, helping users create itineraries for specific regions or countries and export recommendations. The feature is currently available in English for mobile and desktop searches in the United States.

Another key enhancement is the expansion of Gems, a Gemini feature that is now free for everyone. Travelers can use Gems to set up their own trip planner, find destinations and restaurants, or even generate a packing list, the company said.

Finally, the Google Lens feature, which is already available for English queries on Android and iOS, will soon support searches in Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in most countries where AI Overviews is available. This tool allows users to point their camera at an object, ask a question, and receive an AI-powered response.

Additionally, this week, AI-powered answer engine Perplexity announced a collaboration with Selfbook and Tripadvisor, allowing users to book hotels directly from Perplexity.