Google announced major updates to its AI research assistant NotebookLM, including voice interaction capabilities and a new subscription tier aimed at business users.
The updates include an experimental version of Gemini 2.0 Flash and the ability to have voice conversations with AI-generated audio summaries. The new voice feature lets users speak directly with the AI about audio summaries, asking for clarification or requesting different explanations of concepts.
Google says it wants to create an experience similar to talking to a personal tutor who responds based on the source material the user provides. The new voice feature only works with newly created projects, not existing ones.
The voice interaction capability remains in testing and will roll out gradually to users. According to Google's data, users have already generated more than 350 years worth of audio summaries in the past three months.
Streamlined interface focuses on workflow
NotebookLM's redesigned interface introduces three main sections to improve user workflow. The Sources panel helps users manage all their project information. The Chat panel enables AI conversations, while the Studio panel allows users to generate new content from their sources with a single click.
The new layout enables users to move smoothly between asking questions, reading materials, and creating content. Users can now take notes directly next to sources or engage in chat conversations while listening to audio summaries.
Video: Google
NotebookLM Plus targets business users
NotebookLM now comes in two distinct versions. The free basic version provides core functionality for individual users. The new NotebookLM Plus subscription adds expanded features for companies and power users, including five times more audio overviews and sources per notebook. Subscribers can customize AI responses and access shared team notebooks with detailed usage analytics.
The Plus version also includes enhanced security and data protection features, with more details available on Google's help page. It is currently available through Google Workspace or Google Cloud. Google plans to include it in its Google One AI Premium package starting in 2025.
Google reports that millions of individuals and thousands of businesses currently use NotebookLM for research, decision-making, and audio summaries. While it has gained significant traction with 31.5 million visits in October, it still lags far behind the user base of ChatGPT, which had 3.7 billion global visits during the same period.
