NotebookLM is finally getting two of its biggest updates, which are said to make the platform more visual, flexible, and collaborative. The platform is rolling out Video Overviews alongside a revamped Studio panel that now supports multiple outputs of the same type within a single notebook.
Video Overviews Make Learning More Visual
We all know about the video overviews, as it was first announced at Google I/O. It is now available to all NotebookLM users. These narrated slide presentations are designed to help explain complex topics by combining visuals, diagrams, quotes, and data pulled directly from your documents.
Unlike Audio Overviews, which offer a voice-only summary, Video Overviews provide a visual layer that can be especially helpful for understanding abstract ideas, step-by-step processes, or detailed datasets.
Just like with Audio Overviews, you can customize your Video Overviews by specifying topics, setting learning goals, or even tailoring the output to a particular audience. Whether you’re new to a topic or an expert looking to focus on specific details, you can guide the AI host accordingly. Currently, the feature is only available in English, but it is said to get additional language support soon.
Studio Panel Gets More Flexibility
The studio panel in NotebookLM is also getting a major upgrade. Earlier, you could only generate one output of each type, such as one Mind Map or one Audio Overview, per notebook. However, with the new update, that limit is gone. NotebookLM now allows you to create and store multiple outputs of the same type in one notebook.
This change opens up new use cases, including creating Audio Overviews in multiple languages for global access, generating customised Video Overviews for different team members, and building study materials like Mind Maps for each chapter of a course.
Apart from that, the studio interface has been redesigned to feature four main tiles, including Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, Mind Maps, and Reports. All created content now appears in a scrollable list below these tiles. You can also multitask within the panel, like listening to an Audio Overview while browsing a Mind Map.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the redesigned studio is not available for everyone at the moment. However, it will roll out gradually to all users over the coming weeks.
Along with these big features, the company has been pushing steady updates to improve the research experience. One of the recent changes includes a prompt suggestion that helps the AI generate more relevant Audio Overviews for advanced users. For example, users can input:
“I’m already an expert on X, focus on Y”, and the AI will tailor its response accordingly.
Apart from that, the NotebookLM team has also confirmed that the majority of the features from the web are coming soon to smartphone apps as well.
Want more updates like this? Join our WhatsApp channel for quick, no-noise tech news that matters.
