Google's NotebookLM tool now allows generated audio to be tuned so you can direct the fictional podcast hosts as they discuss your content. Google has also announced a business version of NotebookLM is coming soon.
NotebookLM is, in iTWire's view, one of the greatest and most powerful and useful examples of generative AI that is freely available on the Internet. It uses Google's Gemini AI under the hood and essentially allows you to collect all kinds of documents, text, and websites, and then ask natural language questions with clear language answers about the content. This can help you digest many complicated topics. A standout feature, though, is the ability to one-click generate audio where two hosts will discuss your topic and bring out the main points with examples and highlights. It's almost as if you can make your own podcasts on any topic!
However, until today, it literally was one-click only; that is, you generated with one-click, but there was nothing more you could do. Gemini decided what the content should be, how the hosts would speak about it, and what they'd say. Even so, it was, and is, a truly remarkable feature.
Today Google has announced new customisation options for this NotebookLM audio, as well as a NotebookLM business tier coming soon.
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Specifically, Google announced
- Guide the conversation: Now you can provide instructions before you generate a "Deep Dive" Audio Overview. For example, you can focus on specific topics or adjust the expertise level to suit your audience. Think of it like slipping the AI hosts a quick note right before they go on the air, which will change how they cover your material.
- Background listening: You can also listen to Audio Overviews while continuing to work within NotebookLM. Query your sources, get citations, and explore relevant quotes without interrupting the audio.
Additionally, Google has announced NotebookLM for business is underway, dubbed, naturally enough, NotebookLM Business. It will be offered via Google Workspace and include enhanced features for business, academia, and other organisations. Google says data privacy and security remains a top priority.
Interested organisations can apply for the NotebookLM Business pilot program.
Google says 80,000 organisations have already adopted NotebookLM since its recent arrival.
Hear it for yourself! If you haven't yet tried NotebookLM, here's an experiment where I fed it my Wired CIO article on lessons for a new IT Manager. This was published in 2015, but remains as relevant today, and is one of my most popular stories. As you listen to this natural sounding conversation between two hosts, keep in mind that none of it was scripted, none of it is spoken by real humans. This entire content, including all the dialogue, was completely generated by NotebookLM purely by feeding it the URL to my story.
NotebookLM is a tremendously fascinating and useful example of generative AI and is sure to be a way of helping students, professionals, and anyone distil complex topics into easily-digestible audio they can listen to while driving or doing other things.