Google has unveiled City Guide and Comic Postcards, two early-stage, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features meant to push the boundaries of travel inspiration.
“We’re launching two experimental features in the Google Arts & Culture app that look beyond the logistics of travel to spark inspiration for where to go and what to see,” Google said in a blog post.
City Guide, which is launching as a pilot in 11 cities including New York, Berlin, Osaka and Paris, is intended to help users connect with the surrounding culture. Google said it is exploring how AI can move past basic recommendations to share a combination of live events and landmarks to match users’ personal tastes.
The feature will adapt to the traveler’s schedule, and Google said users can set a timeframe such as “this weekend” or “today” and then choose from a dozen categories including “visual arts,” “history” and “hidden gems.”
Meanwhile, the Comic Postcards feature serves as a “creative extension” to City Guide, Google said. The generative AI tool uses photos to put the user within a dynamic narrative taking place in the city they’re exploring.
“Whether you’re seeking a moment of zen among the ancient ruins of Rome or channeling an adventurous mood while navigating Tokyo’s neon-lit streets, Comic Postcards uses your selfie, mood and art style preferences to cast you as the protagonist of a unique story,” Google said. “It creates a playful memento that reflects the city.”
The feature also helps users learn about the art style selected for the narrative.
The launch comes after Google’s announcement of its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) earlier this month. The standard will support customers through discovery, buying and post-purchase support. Several industry leaders said it stands to impact travel, while other stakeholders are not as convinced.
Google also said in November that it is developing agentic booking capabilities on an unspecified timeline. The company said it anticipates the agentic booking commercial model will be similar to what exists today.