NotebookLM has added a new feature called "Video Overviews" that uses AI to present complex information in a more accessible, visual format.
The feature works by automatically generating slides with voiceover, pulling in images, charts, quotes, and figures directly from your files. According to Google's official NotebookLM blog, the idea is to break down abstract concepts and help explain complicated processes in a step-by-step format.
Video Overviews serve as the visual companion to Audio Overviews, and offer similar options for customization. Users can set learning goals, specify target audiences, or highlight particular topics. The tool responds to broad prompts like "I'm not familiar with the topic - help me understand the diagrams," but it also handles detailed instructions for expert audiences. The rollout has started for all English-language users, with more languages planned.
NotebookLM introduces a new, more flexible UI
Google has also reworked the Studio panel in NotebookLM. Instead of being limited to one Studio output per type, users can now save multiple outputs of the same kind in a single notebook. That means you can create several mind maps or video overviews for different sections of a course, or tailor content for different team roles.
The updated Studio panel features four tiles for audio overviews, video overviews, mind maps, and reports, with all content organized in a single list below. Audio overviews can now play in the background while you work on other formats.
NotebookLM recently added a curated collection of public notebooks featuring content from The Atlantic, The Economist, and various non-profits. Users get access to original texts, a question tool, audio overviews, and mind maps. Since launch, Google says over 140,000 public notebooks have been published.
It's still unclear where Google plans to take NotebookLM eventually. The company already has the Gemini chatbot competing with ChatGPT, and Gemini models with search-oriented features like AI Mode are built into Google Search. For now, NotebookLM remains focused on helping users work with their own source material—a niche that seems especially useful for teaching and learning.
