Google announced on Friday that its AI-assisted note-taking app, NotebookLM, is now accessible to all users in the United States who are at least 18 years old. In addition to opening up access to the app, Google is introducing several new features, including the integration of Gemini Pro, its new large language model.
Key Takeaway
Google has made its AI-assisted NotebookLM note-taking app accessible to all users in the United States. The app is equipped with new features, including the use of Gemini Pro, Google’s large language model, to enhance document understanding and reasoning. Users can now organize their curated notes into structured writing projects and receive suggestions based on their ongoing activities. NotebookLM also introduces a noteboard space, enables independent note creation, and offers additional functionalities such as hiding the source and engaging with specific sources. The app’s limitations have been expanded, and it is poised to be a useful tool for various note-taking purposes.
Expanding Capabilities
NotebookLM, an experimental app, is designed to help users with document understanding and reasoning. The app can automatically generate summaries and propose follow-up questions based on the content of uploaded documents. Unlike generic chatbots, NotebookLM focuses solely on the documents that users provide.
Now, Google is enriching the app with tools to assist users in organizing their curated notes into structured writing projects. Users can select a set of notes and create new materials, such as a script outline, email newsletter, or draft of a marketing plan, with the help of NotebookLM.
Furthermore, the app is now equipped to suggest actions based on users’ ongoing activities. For example, while reading a source and highlighting a specific passage, NotebookLM will offer to summarize the selected text into a new note or help users comprehend its content. Similarly, when users are in the process of writing a note, NotebookLM can refine the prose or provide related ideas from their sources.
New Features and Improvements
In response to user feedback, Google has added a noteboard space within NotebookLM, allowing users to easily pin quotes from chats or their own written notes. Additionally, when creating a new note, NotebookLM will now generate an independent note instead of adding it to a single notepad. Clicking on citation numbers in chat responses or saved notes will immediately redirect users to the original quote in the source.
NotebookLM now offers the option to hide the source for users who want to focus exclusively on notetaking. Users can also engage with specific sources in their notebook by selecting them individually in the source sidebar. Furthermore, Google has added PDF support and the ability to copy and paste text to create a new source, with the option to edit the title after creation.
Google has also extended the limitations of NotebookLM. Notebooks can now include up to 20 sources, while a single source can contain up to 200,000 words.
Availability and Future Prospects
NotebookLM was initially introduced as Project Tailwind during Google I/O earlier this year and was made available to a limited number of users. As the app expands its features and reaches a wider audience, it holds significant promise as an AI-powered tool for various applications, including organizing lecture notes and coursework. However, given Google’s history of discontinuing experimental projects, it remains to be seen whether NotebookLM will achieve long-term success.
