Would you rather read a note or have someone read it back to you, and Google is adding new AI-powered features in its latest update to NotebookLM to increase the latter option

According to a Google press release, the Alphabet company developed NotebookLM, a Gemini 15 Pro-powered research assistant, to help consumers “understand complex information” But now, Audio Overviews “turns documents into engaging audio discussions” by using two “AI hosts”

After uploading a new or existing notebook, users can click the “Generate” button to create an Audio Overview, where the hosts initiate a deep discussion based on the document's source, summarize the material, and provide relevant Provides a back-and-forth conversation about the topic Users can also download the audio and listen to it on the go, just like a podcast

To demonstrate how to use this feature, Google created an 8-minute audio clip In this clip, two AI-generated voices mimic typical podcast banter, mixing spoken colloquialisms with factual information (dare we count how many times the word “like” is used?)

Nevertheless, Google notes that the generated discussions are “not a comprehensive or objective view on the topic, but simply reflect the source you uploaded” Simply put, this feature pulls directly from the input material, so the possibilities for users are endless However, there are a few caveats to this feature, including the fact that it is still described as “experimental” and that the host can only speak English

Another limitation is that users cannot interrupt or pause the host We don't know what that means, but we can assume that it would be difficult for users to change the “script” of an AI host after entering their sources and notes and activating this feature; Google has stated that the host may also “provide inaccurate information,” so it would be a good idea, especially if students frequently access this feature frequently, we recommend taking this with a grain of salt

Whether these AI hosts will go beyond NotebookLM remains to be seen, but Google has not limited its real-time AI conversation feature