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'Flight Deals': Google launches new AI-powered search tool for 'best bargains'

'Flight Deals': Google launches new AI-powered search tool for 'best bargains'

Khaleej Times19 hours ago
On August 14, Google introduced a new AI-powered search tool called 'Flight Deals'.
The tech giant said that the tool is "designed for flexible travellers whose number one goal is saving money on their next trip".
In a blog post detailing how it works, Google said that users can just describe when, where and how they'd like to travel "as though you're talking to a friend" to uncover top deals.
Users can search something like 'week-long trip this winter to a city with great food, nonstop only' to see the "best bargains available" across destinations.
The blog post said: "What makes Flight Deals unique is that it uses Google's advanced AI to understand the nuances of what you're looking for and identify matching destinations. Then, it'll tap into real-time Google Flights data to quickly show you relevant, up-to-date options from hundreds of airlines and booking sites."
This feature will be rolling out in the coming week in the US, Canada and India.
Flight Deals is being launched in beta to gather feedback as of now. The original Google Flights will continue to stay.
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