Google’s NotebookLM, an AI-powered summarizing tool for education and research, now allows users to upload YouTube videos and audio files for analysis. The update, powered by Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro virtual assistant, enables NotebookLM to handle various sources including Google Docs, PDFs, text files, Google Slides, YouTube video URLs, audio files, and web pages. This expansion opens up the tool to a wider range of content such as lecture recordings, educational YouTube videos, and group discussions. Google assures users that all information uploaded to NotebookLM is securely stored and not used to train AI. Launched in the summer of 2023, NotebookLM was recently upgraded to run on Gemini 1.5 Pro and expanded to over 200 countries and territories. The addition of Audio Overview allows two AI hosts to discuss sources, summarize material, and engage in banter. Users can now share Audio Overviews with others through a public URL. The irony lies in the fact that the need for an AI to summarize YouTube videos stems from Google’s incentive for creators to produce increasingly lengthy content.
