Google launches AI-powered Q&A on contractors’ Business Profiles

Google has started rolling out an AI-driven Q&A feature on its Maps app, allowing consumers to ask specific questions about contractors when viewing their Business Profiles, tech news site Android Authority reported. 

The big picture: While the company hasn’t explicitly stated the percentage of local business searches that occur within the Maps app compared to its main search engine, it’s estimated that Maps boasts nearly 120 million U.S. users. 

What’s happening: Called ‘Ask about place,’ the feature replaces Google’s legacy Q&A function, leveraging its AI tool ‘Gemini’ to generate answers to consumers’ questions. 

• Toward the bottom of a profile, a new search box appears, along with suggested questions like, in a contractor’s case, “Do they service all brands of equipment?” and “Is there a specific person people recommend?”
• Gemini pulls answers from contractors’ websites, social media profiles, existing reviews, and other online mentions of their brand. 
• Watch a video 

Of note: Not every question returns an answer. When Homepros asked a pricing-related question on one contractor’s profile, it returned, “There’s not enough information about this place to answer your question.” 

• The feature also doesn’t display on every Business Profile, and it’s currently exclusive to the Maps app — not online. 
• Google didn’t respond to a request for comment about its rollout and future plans. 

The bottom line: While the feature is likely to populate on more Business Profiles in the coming months, its rollout ups the importance of ensuring social media accounts and websites are connected to Google — and up-to-date — given how Gemini sources answers.