Searching for addresses in India can be a frustrating experience. Their unstructured, unstandardized nature often leads people to rely on landmarks and familiar places to find unfamiliar places.

Google now wants to bring this user behavior digital mapping product to Google Maps using artificial intelligence (AI).

On December 19, the company announced Address Descriptors, a new feature for India that aims to help users better understand unfamiliar addresses through landmarks and points of interest on Google Maps, just as they interact with addresses in real life.

With the feature, Google Maps automatically finds up to five of the most relevant landmarks and area names around a verified address using a combination of machine learning signals, and displays a relevant reference when people share their location, the company said. The feature is expected to roll out to Indian users early next year.

Google explains it has invested in adding new places and businesses to the map, especially those that Indian users have frequently searched for in recent years. This includes places of worship, medical facilities, government services, and landmarks that people commonly use to mark addresses, such as behind a school or next to the local post office.

The feature was first introduced to developers in India as an experimental feature of the Google Maps platform in June 2023 and covers 25 major cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad. This coverage has now been extended to more than 75 cities across the country.

It allows users to point their camera while walking down the street to see nearby restaurants and cafes, as well as useful information such as hours, ratings, reviews and photos. The feature will roll out in January 2024 in 15 cities across India, starting with Android devices.