Google is rolling out a new feature that can turn your research into an AI-generated podcast. The experimental feature is part of NotebookLM, an AI note-taking app that Google launched last year. Two AI-driven “hosts” discuss and summarize your notes, making connections between topics and engaging in conversation.
This feature expands on the functionality NotebookLM already offers for interacting with notes, transcripts, and research documents. The app uses Google’s Gemini AI model to summarize your research, and the new audio feature is a sort of audio version of that.
When Google says these AI presenters will talk to each other “in a joking manner,” they mean it. While testing the feature, we ran a test using a sample notebook on the invention of the light bulb, and the results were pretty weird. During the 10-minute recap, the two presenters discussed how Thomas Edison wasn’t the only person behind the light bulb, and summed it up by saying, “Ultimately, this is a story of teamwork, of making dreams come true.”
The hosts’ use of modern expressions and mid-sentence emphasis by saying “bam!” almost resembles real human podcasters, but there are a few quirks. For example, it has been reported that the AI can also spell simple words like “Plus.”
This feature makes learning about research more fun, but it’s a question of how presenters will maintain this light, humorous tone when discussing more serious topics, like cancer or war. There’s also a lot of unnecessary information during conversations, which may not be ideal for an app that aims to summarize information quickly and clearly.
Google also touches on this issue in its announcement, stating that the feature “does not offer a comprehensive or objective view of the subject, but is merely a reflection of your notes.”
Google offers AI podcast creation feature only in English
There are some limitations to the Audio Overview feature. Google says that this podcast-style discussion can take a few minutes to set up and is currently only available in English. And, as with many AI tools, it’s not always 100 percent accurate.
To try this feature, simply open a notebook in NotebookLM. Select the Notebook directory in the bottom right corner of the screen and then click “Load” under the “Audio Overview” heading to begin the process.