Google launched a note-taking app called NotebookLM last year, which aimed to help researchers, students, and anyone in need of organizing information they have gathered. This app has recently been updated to allow users to upload Google Slides and web URLs as sources in addition to Google Docs, PDFs, and text files.
One of the key enhancements is the Notebook Guide feature, which can read sources in NotebookLM and generate study guides, FAQs, or briefing documents. Additionally, users can now include up to 50 sources per “notebook” or project, with each source being able to contain up to 500,000 words. This is a significant improvement from the previous limit of only five sources per notebook.
It is important to note that NotebookLM is a closed system, as mentioned by Raiza Martin, a senior product manager at Google Labs. This means that the AI within NotebookLM will not perform web searches beyond the content users provide. Therefore, all responses to queries about data or images will be based solely on the user’s existing information within the platform.
As a reporter, I had the opportunity to test out these new features of NotebookLM. While the Notebook Guide was not yet available for testing, I was able to experiment with adding new data sources, obtaining inline citations, and utilizing the Gemini 1.5 Pro model to analyze graphs. One impressive outcome was when I requested information from a PDF of a line graph, and NotebookLM accurately provided me with the data I needed. Moreover, it was able to summarize the text of the EU AI Act, complete with proper citations.
However, not all aspects of the update worked seamlessly during my demo. I encountered issues with adding web URL sources, as they did not appear in my list of sources even after attempting to upload them. This suggests potential glitches or limitations in the system that need to be addressed for a smoother user experience.
Google highlighted examples of how individuals, including author Walter Isaacson, have utilized NotebookLM for analyzing and researching purposes. In contrast to tools like Perplexity’s Pages, which aim to assist researchers in finding and sharing data, NotebookLM stands out for its focus on organizing existing information rather than generating new content.
Google’s NotebookLM has made significant strides in expanding its capabilities to support users in managing information effectively. While there are some limitations and potential areas for improvement, the overall features and functionality offer valuable tools for researchers, students, and anyone in need of organizing and analyzing data.
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