Google Maps adds new AI features, including an MCP creator and server—a tool that connects AI assistants to Google Maps technical documentation—to help developers and users create interactive projects using Maps data and code. The company said it uses Gemini models to power these features.
Among these new tools, the builder is a tool that, like many other coding tools, allows you to describe the kind of interactive map-based prototype you want to create in text and have one created for you. For example, you can type “create a Street View tour of a city,” “create a map that shows real-time weather in my area,” or “list pet-friendly hotels in the city.”
Once the code is built, you can export it, test the preview project using your own API keys as needed, or modify the project in Firebase Studio.
The same tool also has a styling factor that allows users to create a custom map to match a specific style format or theme. This could help brands create specific color-coded maps.
Google already provides Map data grounding via the Gemini API. The company is now introducing a similar feature, called Grounding Lite, which allows developers to ground their own AI models using the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard that allows AI assistants to connect to external data sources.
With this feature, AI assistants can answer questions like “How far is the nearest grocery store?” The company is also shipping Contextual View, a low-code component of Google Maps that can provide users with a visual understanding of such questions. The function can display a list, a map view, or a 3D screen in response.
Google also adds a code helper toolkit, the MCP server, which links to the Google Maps documentation. Developers can use this link to get answers about how to use the Google Maps API and data. Last month, the company launched extensions for the Gemini command line tool to allow developers to access Maps data.
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The company is also looking to add more Gemini features for consumer-side Maps. Last week, it allowed users to use Gemini hands-free with Maps for navigation. For users in India, Google has added event alerts and speed limit data to the Maps app in select areas.
