Image Courtesy: Google

October 18, 2025 – Google has announced the launch of Grounding with Google Maps for the Gemini API, giving developers a new way to connect AI reasoning with real-world geospatial data. The feature allows Gemini-powered applications to directly access Google Maps’ database of over 250 million places, unlocking a new wave of location-aware AI experiences.

The new Maps integration mirrors the earlier Grounding with Google Search capability, but focuses on providing structured, accurate location data such as addresses, business hours, user ratings, and reviews. Developers can now build AI apps that understand and interact with the physical world in a more practical and informed way.

“This update enables a new class of geospatially aware AI products,” said James Harrison, Group Product Manager for Geo Developer at Google. “By connecting Gemini’s reasoning capabilities to Maps data, developers can deliver experiences that are both intelligent and grounded in real-world context.”

How It Works

Using the Google Gemini API, developers can now enable the Maps tool directly within their requests.

The API also returns a Google Maps widget that developers can embed into their apps, providing users with an interactive interface that includes place details, photos, and reviews.

Practical Use Cases

The integration opens up powerful new scenarios across industries:

• Travel and Tourism: Generate full-day itineraries with travel times, directions, and live business hours.

• Real Estate: Recommend neighborhoods with nearby schools, parks, and family amenities.

• Retail and Logistics: Find the best delivery routes or customer pickup points with real-time data.

• Local Search: Answer location-specific queries like “Does this café have outdoor seating?” using verified Maps information.

Grounding with Maps and Search

Developers can now combine Grounding with Google Maps and Grounding with Google Search within a single Gemini API request.

• Maps provides factual, structured data (e.g., hours, ratings, coordinates).

• Search adds descriptive, up-to-date context from across the web (e.g., events, reviews, and news).

According to Google, internal testing shows that combining both tools results in significant improvements in response quality compared to using either alone.

Availability

Grounding with Google Maps is generally available now to all developers using the Gemini API. The feature is supported by Google’s latest Gemini models, including Gemini 2.5 Flash Lite, balancing performance with cost efficiency.

Developers can start experimenting today in Google AI Studio or review the Gemini API Cookbook for additional examples.