MOUNTAIN VIEW, California: Google is giving Maps a major AI makeover, aiming to make it feel less like an app and more like a helpful co-pilot.

Powered by Gemini, Google's in-house artificial intelligence system, the navigation tool will soon be able to carry on conversational interactions with users, answering questions, offering suggestions, and giving more natural directions.

The redesign, announced on November 5, introduces a hands-free experience that Google says will make Maps feel like "an insightful passenger", capable of guiding drivers while also recommending nearby restaurants, shops, or landmarks when asked.

"No fumbling required, now you can just ask," Google said in a blog post about the update.

The Gemini integration will also make navigation more intuitive. Instead of telling users to turn in a certain number of meters, Maps will reference recognizable landmarks, such as a gas station or café, to cue drivers on when to take a turn.

To reduce errors — a common problem for AI systems known as "hallucinations" — Google said it has built safeguards to ensure that the AI won't send drivers in the wrong direction. Gemini's responses will draw on Google Maps' database of about 250 million places and two decades of user reviews and location data.

The new AI-powered Maps will roll out globally to iPhone and Android users in the coming months. With more than two billion users, the launch gives Gemini one of the largest test audiences for its conversational abilities.

Beyond improving navigation, Google sees the update as a showcase for Gemini's capabilities and a way to stay ahead of rivals such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, whose launch in late 2022 pushed Google to accelerate its own AI strategy.

The company has already revamped its search engine to include AI-generated overviews and chat-style answers, and is steadily weaving Gemini into more of its core products.