Google Maps releases new AI tools that let you create interactive projects

Google Maps is adding new AI features, including a Build Agent and MCP Server — a tool that connects AI assistants to Google Maps technical documentation — to help developers and users create interactive projects using map data and code. The company said it uses Gemini models across the board to power these features.

Among these new tools, the Build Agent is a tool that, just like many other programming tools, allows you to describe in text the type of interactive map-based prototype you want to create and generate one for you. For example, you could type “Create a Street View tour of a city” or “Create a real-time weather map.”
In my area,” or “List pet-friendly hotels in your city.”

Once you’ve created the code, you can export it, test the preview project with your API keys as needed, or modify the project in Firebase Studio.

The same tool also has a styling agent that allows users to create a custom map to match a specific format or style theme. This can help brands create color-coded maps.

Google already provides grounding for map data via the Gemini API. The company now offers a similar feature, called Grounding Lite, which lets developers build their own AI models using the Model Context Protocol (MCP), a standard that allows AI assistants to connect to external data sources.

Using 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 Google Maps component that can provide users with visual understanding of such questions. The feature can display a list, map view, or 3D view as the answer.

Google is also adding a code helper toolkit, the MCP Server, that connects to Google Maps documentation. Developers can use this connection to get answers on how to use the Google Maps API and data. Last month, the company launched extensions for its Gemini command-line tool to allow developers to access map data.

The company is also trying to add more Gemini-powered features to maps on the consumer side. Last week, it enabled users to use Gemini hands-free with navigation maps. For users in India, Google has added accident alerts and speed limit data to the Maps app in select areas.