Recently, we discovered an experimental tool called NotebookLM.

It is free to use and best described as an online research and note-taking tool developed by Google Labs that uses artificial intelligence, specifically Google Gemini, to assist users in interacting with their documents/source materials. 

Since it’s your notebook, your personal data is never used to train NotebookLM.

The program can take your documents from various sources (Google Slides, YouTube, PDF, text, and audio) and generate multiple outputs, including FAQs, a study guide, a table of contents, a timeline, a briefing, and, more recently—and most impressively—a podcast. 

The podcast features a male and female voice engaging in an AI-generated “Deep Dive” discussion based on the sources you shared in your Notebook. 

To explore its potential, we uploaded our Three Seconds to Safety in PDF format into NotebookLM. The result is the attached podcast.

Listen to the AI-generated Podcast

Our Observations

• The AI-generated dialogue went beyond the original PDF content. It was as if the two voices were interpreting the material and offering their thoughts, bantering back and forth much like real people would. 
• We also tested it with our report on the prison convoy attack in France, and the results were similarly insightful.
• The program opens up many exciting possibilities, from podcasts and lesson plans to study guides. However, there is a potential downside—others could use your content as the source to generate their materials without your permission.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to note that NotebookLM is still experimental. So far, Google is continually investing in updates. In fact, as of this article, you can now provide instructions before you generate a “Deep Dive” podcast. For example, you can focus on specific topics or adjust the expertise level to suit your audience. 

With over 80,000 organizations already using NotebookLM, we are optimistic that Google will find a way to sustain it.

We encourage you to explore the program and let us know your thoughts!