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Google’s new AI-backed note-taking app can reportedly now discuss your content with you. The company unveiled NotebookLM last year, which combines large lange models with user notes to help your understanding of a topic by providing summaries, answering questions, and more.
On Wednesday (September 12), the tech giant detailed in a post that NotebookLM is rolling out “Audio Overviews.” The feature allows users to discuss their notebook content in engaging, AI-driven conversations with two AI-generated hosts.
Imagine listening to a lively discussion about your latest research project, summarized and analyzed by two AI hosts 🎧That's the power of #NotebookLM's Audio Overview. Upload PDFs, Google Docs, Slides, and try it for yourself.
✨Learn more at: https://t.co/JC66SQJxjh pic.twitter.com/rbCAXwuw2a— labs.google (@labsdotgoogle) September 11, 2024
The tool uses Gemini 1.5’s multimodal capabilities to power new features, such as Google Slides and web URL support, fact-checking, and the ability to instantly create study guides, briefing docs, and others.
That said, Google explains that Audio Overview is still experimental and has some known limitations. For example, for large notebooks, it can take several minutes to generate an Audio Overview. Also, when the AI hosts are explaining your sources, “they only speak English, sometimes introduce inaccuracies, and you can’t interrupt them yet.”
What do people think of the new NotebookLM feature?
Google Labs’ editorial director Steven Johnson said that it was able to create a summary of his book, “The Infernal Machine.”
Rolling out audio overviews at NotebookLM today. So excited for this one.
Take any collection of sources and automatically generate a "deep dive" audio conversation.
I created one based on the text of my book The Infernal Machine. Have a listen. 🧵belowhttps://t.co/d3fk0gfZrZ pic.twitter.com/oN9ObvsVfX
— Steven Johnson (@stevenbjohnson) September 11, 2024
Early users have already tested out the tool and have been impressed with the results. inQuest AI founder Dan Brown utilized the feature on his father’s PhD thesis and said he was “speechless” by the outcome. While AI marketer Varun Krishna said it was “wild stuff” after making NotebookLM discuss his LinkedIn profile.
Just played with #NotebookLM's Audio Overview. Turned my LinkedIn profile and X into a mini-podcast totally hyping me. Wild stuff! @labsdotgoogle, you're onto something here. https://t.co/4lBH0bnnLi pic.twitter.com/6XFXXzGCzw
— Varun K | AI Insights (@MarketersMeta) September 12, 2024
I put in my dad's PHD Thesis and it created this podcast. Im speechless… pic.twitter.com/iAdljyQuJR
— Dan Brown (@DanBrownUSA) September 12, 2024
In 2023, ReadWrite reported that the California-based firm said NotebookLM only has access to the documents that the user chooses to upload and that user data is neither available to others nor is it used to train new AI models. This approach ensures that user data remains private and secure.
The company first introduced NotebookLM under the name Project Tailwind back in June 2023 at Google I/O before making it available to those aged 18 and above in the U.S. last December. The app is now available in over 200 countries in more than 108 languages.
How to use Google NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews feature
To test out the new feature, Google recommends these steps:
- Open an existing notebook
- Open your Notebook guide
- Click on the “Generate” button to create an Audio Overview
The AI hosts will then discuss the work with you, which users can then download to take with them and listen on the go. In addition, the audio log will have its own space within the Notebook guide alongside options to ask additional questions, create files, and more.
Featured image: Google / Canva
