Google has introduced a new experimental feature in its NotebookLM app that turns your research into an AI-generated podcast, complete with two AI “hosts” chatting about your findings. The app, which launched last year, was already using Google’s Gemini AI model to summarize notes and research documents. Now, it adds an audio twist to that by having the AI hosts not just summarize, but also connect different topics and even engage in some light-hearted banter.
The AI-generated podcast is designed to make learning more engaging by building on NotebookLM’s existing capabilities. It uses the same AI technology to synthesize your notes and research into a conversation. I decided to test out the Audio Overview feature myself, using one of the sample notebooks about the invention of the lightbulb. What I heard was… well, a little surreal. Over a 10-minute discussion, the hosts cheerfully explained how Thomas Edison wasn’t the only person involved in inventing the lightbulb, emphasizing that “it’s actually a story about teamwork, making the dream work.”
The AI voices were surprisingly human-like, down to their enthusiastic use of “bam!” in the middle of sentences and phrases like “messy as heck.” Of course, there were still a few moments where the illusion slipped—like when the AI started spelling out certain words or referred to platinum as “bling bling metal.”
While this new feature definitely makes learning more entertaining, it raises questions about its suitability for more serious topics, like discussing cancer or war. There was also a fair amount of filler in the conversation, so it might not always be the best option if you need a quick and precise summary.
Google itself notes that the feature isn't meant to provide a comprehensive or objective view of a topic but rather a reflection of the notes you've inputted. Plus, it comes with a few limitations—it can take a few minutes to generate a podcast-like discussion, it's only available in English, and, like any AI, it’s not always spot-on with accuracy.
If you’re curious to try it, just open a notebook in NotebookLM, select the Notebook guide in the bottom-right corner, and then hit Load under the “Audio Overview” heading. Personally, I’m already planning to research something random just to see how the AI hosts will riff on it.
Meanwhile, The Verge’s team—William Poor, Andrew Marino, and Alex Parkin—took a deep dive into why hydrogen fuel cell technology, once seen as a bright alternative to gasoline, fell behind battery electric vehicles. They even hit the road on California’s “hydrogen highway” to put the tech to the test.
