NotebookLM Can Now Turn Your Notes Into a Video
Google’s NotebookLM, by far my favorite AI tool, rolled out two new features this week. The app that can turn your notes into a podcast can now generate an educational video based on your study material. It can also create a report or document from suggested predefined templates.
If you’re unfamiliar, NotebookLM is a large language model similar to the better-known ChatGPT chatbot, but instead of pulling information from all over the Internet (with all the attendant risks of inaccuracy), it relies solely on material you type directly. You can upload PDFs, links, YouTube videos, plain text, etc., then ask the chatbot questions and it will answer only based on what you gave it, even providing links to where it finds the answers in the source material. As noted, it can also generate AI podcasts, which feature two voices discussing your material, as well as flashcards, mind maps, or practice quizzes.
Video and report generation are the latest additions to NotebookLM’s toolset. You can try them out by locating the appropriate tile on the right side of your NotebookLM laptop screen. (Although the app is frankly disappointing, so I recommend always using a desktop or mobile browser instead.)
How video generation works
Educational videos are great for students or anyone trying to learn something new. I generated one based on the material I used in NotebookLM to study for an upcoming certification exam, and while creating it definitely took more than the promised five minutes, it turned out surprisingly well:
Content from my guides and study materials are included, with key information highlighted visually and with additional explanations from a voiceover.
How to generate reports with NotebookLM
The reports are a little more complex. When I pressed ReportI had options such as “Anatomy Explained” and “Business Development Plan” as suggested choices based on my material. “Briefing,” “Study Guide,” and “Blog Post” are standard suggestions that are always available. I asked a friend who also uses NotebookLM to study for school, and the suggested formats for his course materials on management concepts were “Strategic Analysis” and “Leadership Profile.”
What do you think of it so far?
So it seems that depending on what your documents contain, the software will create plans in downloadable document format. I selected “Anatomy Explainer” and, after waiting a few minutes, got a detailed study document divided into sections such as “The Command Center: Your Nervous System” and “The Framework: Your Skeletal System.” It was described clearly, like a study guide with more explanation and context.
Why I like these new features
I’m a big proponent of using NotebookLM for studying, especially because it’s a very easy way to organize your materials and make sure your work matches what your teacher is looking for. Plus, unlike ChatGPT, you can’t exactly use it to do all the work for you; instead, it shows you where it got the information from (from the materials you provided), allowing you to study more effectively. Videos and reports are another way to do this, so whether you study best by making audio lists, watching videos, mind mapping, exploring flashcards, or reading summaries, it’s an ideal choice. You can even ask the chatbot follow-up questions about anything you don’t understand.
Reporting, in particular, has implications for other types of work beyond academics. I use NotebookLM to help me organize my files and documents for my work at any time, so the ability to create a briefing document or business plan is an added bonus that could be useful to people in various fields.
