In recent years, planning a vacation on your own has often turned into a marathon across various websites: you’d search for tickets on one platform, look for accommodation on another, and finding restaurants and entertainment meant opening even more tabs. Now, that chaos is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Google is introducing a new AI-powered feature to its search engine that promises to completely transform the way we plan our trips.
A New Era of Digital Assistants
The company has unveiled Canvas—a visual assistant already being tested in the US. Instead of the usual list of links, users get an interactive workspace to assemble itineraries, mark cities, pick activities, and browse maps. Everything can be easily edited, and the process feels like a conversation with a smart companion who remembers every detail.
Simply share your preferences—for example, say you want to spend a week in Japan in spring. The AI instantly creates a basic plan that you can refine: change cities, add excursions, adjust the schedule, or specify food preferences. All changes are saved, and the system adapts to your latest requests, working like a digital notebook that remembers every idea.
From Inspiration to Booking
Google goes beyond just offering advice. Canvas already features options for booking restaurants, tours, and event tickets directly from the interface. The search engine is transforming into a full-fledged travel management center, where you can not only dream but also act instantly. The company is actively partnering with major booking services like Booking.com, Expedia, and Marriott to integrate hotels and flights into a unified system.
This approach makes Google a major player in the travel market. Now it competes not only with aggregators but also with online agencies. Canvas brings together scattered services, allowing users to avoid getting lost in countless browser tabs and instead focus on the most exciting part—choosing routes and experiences.
Questions of autonomy and control
However, such deep integration of artificial intelligence into daily life raises concerns. If a digital assistant selects dates, routes, restaurants, and even makes all the necessary bookings on its own, does that mean we lose some independence? On one hand, it’s convenient and saves time. On the other, there is a worry that algorithms, rather than people, will increasingly make the decisions.
Travel has always been more than just moving from point A to point B—it’s an art of choosing your own path. New technologies make planning easier, but it’s important to remember: it is personal choices that create unique experiences. Google offers a tool that may become an indispensable assistant, but the final decision still belongs to the individual.
