Google Maps lets you see building interiors with AI: How does it work?

Google announced one of its most ambitious updates yet for Google Maps : exploring building interiors with the help of artificial intelligence , allowing users to see stores, hallways, emergency exits, and other details from their mobile devices. This feature, which will launch in select cities, aims to improve the navigation experience in complex locations like shopping malls, airports, hospitals, and stadiums, where finding a location or boarding gate can be a real challenge.

The tool combines high-resolution images captured by 360° cameras, machine learning technology, and architectural plans of buildings. By opening Google Maps and zooming in on a compatible location, users can activate the interior view to virtually tour the spaces, see real-time directions, and receive information such as schedules, available services, and nearby restrooms.

According to Google, the first cities to receive this technology will be major US cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles , as well as Tokyo and Paris, where it will be implemented in international airports, malls, and convention centers. Later this year, the company plans to expand the service to Latin America , with a special focus on Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina.

In Mexico, Google confirmed talks with administrators of venues such as Mexico City International Airport , shopping centers like Perisur and Santa Fe in Mexico City, and private hospitals that would receive the technology in a pilot phase. This will allow domestic users to enjoy the feature in the coming months, facilitating mobility in crowded spaces.

The most innovative element is the use of AI to create dynamic 3D maps that update automatically. For example, if a store changes location within a shopping center or the access to a restaurant changes, artificial intelligence will adjust the maps based on information from sensors, internal cameras, and manager reports.

Google will also use object recognition algorithms to identify escalators, elevators, information points, ATMs, and emergency exits. This way, users will be able to receive step-by-step directions to their destination within the building, similar to the street navigation already offered by the app.

Additionally, instructions will be available with audio cues for people with visual impairments and with adjustments to show wheelchair-accessible routes, strengthening accessibility in public and private spaces.

Among the advantages are the possibility of saving time by finding a location more quickly, reducing stress in large airports, and avoiding missed flights or medical appointments. It will also benefit tourists visiting unfamiliar cities by providing accurate information in their language.

However, there are privacy concerns, as some users fear the technology could allow data collection about their habits inside buildings. Google says it will not track individual movements and will only use anonymous and aggregated information to improve the accuracy of indoor maps.

Another limitation is that the feature depends on collaboration with property owners, who must authorize the capture and updating of images, so it may take a while to reach some locations.

Google Maps' new AI-powered feature for viewing building interiors promises to revolutionize the way we navigate indoors, offering greater comfort and safety. Although it will initially be available in a few cities, Mexico is among the first Latin American countries to potentially adopt it. This innovation reflects how artificial intelligence not only transforms street navigation but also the experience within key locations for modern urban life.