Take your research to the next level with Google’s AI-powered NotebookLM

Last summer, Google introduced NotebookLM, an AI-powered research and writing assistant designed to change how users understand and explore complex information. After widening availability in the United States back in December, Google has now announced that an upgraded version of NotebookLM powered by Gemini 1.5 Pro is available in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

From its inception, NotebookLM has aimed to empower users to make new connections from information, streamline their research process, and accelerate the creation of their first drafts. By simply uploading research notes, interview transcripts, or corporate documents, users can instantly transform NotebookLM into a subject matter expert tailored to their specific needs.

This latest upgrade introduces a host of new features that expand NotebookLM’s capabilities. Users can now add Google Slides and web URLs as sources, in addition to Google Docs, PDFs, and text files. Inline citations now directly link to supporting passages, making fact-checking and in-depth exploration easier than ever. Additionally, the new Notebook guide feature provides a high-level overview of sources, converting them into useful formats like FAQs, Briefing Docs, or Study Guides.

Thanks to Gemini 1.5 Pro now on the backend, NotebookLM can also now understand and cite questions about images, charts, and diagrams within sources, opening up new avenues for visual learners and researchers working with data-rich documents.

Google says NotebookLM is already being embraced by a diverse range of users. Bestselling author Walter Isaacson has employed NotebookLM to analyze Marie Curie’s journals for his upcoming book, while documentary and podcast researchers have utilized its capabilities to generate scripts and story ideas.

I’m using Google Notebook, thanks to @stevenbjohnson and others at @Google, to sort through all of Marie Curie’s scientific notebooks and her letters and writings. The AI platform will transform research. Steven explains in this clip. https://t.co/Ue5i9g0guI

— Walter Isaacson (@WalterIsaacson) May 22, 2024

The impact of NotebookLM extends beyond the writing and research world, too. Google notes that in local governance, a resident used NotebookLM to create a hyperlocal newsletter by aggregating city ordinances and council meeting minutes. Consultants are leveraging NotebookLM to analyze sales call transcripts for targeted training, and nonprofits have deployed it to identify needs in underserved communities and organize information for grant proposals.

Even more creative and unexpected applications have emerged thanks to the 14,000-member NotebookLM Discord community. Novelists and fan-fiction authors are using it to manage complex storylines, and role-playing game enthusiasts are consulting detailed descriptions of fantasy worlds for games like Dungeons and Dragons.

New users can easily get started with NotebookLM by creating a notebook and uploading documents for a specific project or deliverable. You can then read, take notes, ask questions, organize ideas, or request automatic overviews of their sources to help you better understand and analyze the information. It’s pretty incredible, honestly, and is a tool that can be used for a variety of applications. If you are already using NotebookLM, please let us know in the comments how you use it and what features you’d like to see in the future.