Users can now grant Google Bard access to their exact location to help it generate more precise and more relevant results for them.
The new capability should be useful when doing searches involving local results, according to Google. “If you grant location permissions to google.com or Google apps on your device, then when you search, your precise location will be used by Google to show you the best search results,” the company explained in a support document. “Precise location means exactly where you are, such as a particular address.”
Users will find this practical when looking for directions or searching for something about local businesses or landmarks. For instance, giving Bard access to your exact location will help it provide answers on the closing or opening times of different store branches surrounding you. If you are looking for the nearest resto, this capability should also help Bard tell you exactly its distance.
The option to provide your location should appear automatically when you launch Bard. Agreeing to the notification will lead you to a map to allow you to mark your exact location. Alternatively, you can activate this by clicking the “From your IP address” link at the bottom of Bard’s left sidebar. This will pop up a window where you must select “Use precise location.”
While this new Bard capability sounds helpful, some might still find giving their exact location. However, this is purely optional. Moreover, as Google noted, Bard already utilizes the user’s approximate location using the IP address detail and the indicated work and home addresses on Google Account.
