Google’s NotebookLM added several new features and expanded to more than 200 countries and regions on Thursday. The AI-powered research and writing assistant was first announced at the Google I/O event last year as Project Tailwind and has since rolled out to a limited number of users in the US. The platform is now available to users in India and other countries with features such as web URLs as sources, Google Slides and inline citations. There is also the Gemini 1.5 Pro AI model.
NotebookLM has been expanded with new functions
After integrating with Gemini 1.5 Pro, the artificial intelligence model that powers Gemini Advanced, NotebookLM now has a wide range of features. This means that users can add photos, graphics and charts to their resources and the platform will answer questions about them. Until now you could only read and analyze the text.
Another useful new feature is the ability to include Google Slides and website URLs as sources. It allows users to upload a link to a website or Google Slides file and the AI chatbot organizes and answers their questions. The Gemini 1.5 Pro model also helps here, allowing the chatbot to run slides. Additionally, users can upload resources from Google Drive, PDF files, text files, and copied text.
Additionally, the platform now displays inline citations for generated answers. Hovering over a quote opens the source’s supporting text so you can easily check the facts. Users can also click on sentences to delve deeper into the original text. Additionally, NotebookLM understands your resources at a deeper level and can generate frequently asked questions (FAQs), explanatory documents, and study guides in response to requests.
Raisa Martin, senior product manager at Google Labs, told Gadgets 360 during a media briefing that AI models are in no way trained on user data or resources. In addition, journalists were told that NotebookLM is a closed system that does not conduct web searches to answer questions and relies solely on information from its own sources.
How to use NotebookLM
1. Click here to access the NotebookLM website.
2. Tap Try NotebookLM.
3. Find the source icon on the left edge.
4. There should be a plus sign next to it. Click.
5. Choose your preferred resource upload mode.
6. Select the desired file or URL you want to use.
7. Now you can enter your request in the text field below.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.