Google’s viral AI podcast tool deserves the hype

• Google’s NotebookLM released Audio Overviews, which quickly gained attention for its realism.
• The feature uses the information you provide to create a “deep dive” discussion hosted by two AI hosts.
• I gave him input on a number of topics and was surprised by the quality of the podcasts.

Google’s new AI tool is already making waves.

The tech giant’s NotebookLM tool recently launched a feature called Audio Overviews. Based on the information you provide, it generates a podcast-like “deep dive” discussion hosted by two AI hosts.

You can drop various formats such as website and YouTube links, PDFs, audio files, Google Docs and Slides, and plain text. Once you get your custom AI-generated podcast, you can also download the Audio Overview and upload it to NotebookLM to get a transcript.

NotebookLM, while not a household name like ChatGPT, is an AI-powered research and writing assistant that summarizes sources, creates study guides and briefing papers, and checks your work.

The new feature has created a buzz online as people experiment with creating on-demand podcasts of their choosing. Some have called the feature “amazing,” and others are sharing their finished products, which range from podcasts with AI hosts who “realize” they’re AIs to true-crime podcasts based on court documents.

Following the excitement over the new feature, NotebookLM’s Product Manager Raiza Martin shared plans to roll out more features.

“After that initial moment of delight, people want to influence content,” Martin wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Makes sense – now you want buttons for format, length, characters, voices, languages ​​- keep track and we’re working on it (some will come much faster than others).”

The tool’s impact has already spawned at least one rival. An open-source competitor said it built a similar tool called Open NotebookLM in a single afternoon — though it has more limitations than Google’s version.

With all the talk about Google’s latest AI experiment, I decided to give Audio Overviews a try, creating a few podcasts on different topics like neural networks and the drama at OpenAI. Here are my conclusions.

The voices are realistic and fun

After recently trying out ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, I thought I had heard the best of what AI has to offer consumers in terms of voice interaction.

To my surprise, this podcast generated by NotebookLM surpassed anything I had heard so far in terms of AI voice quality. Not only do the voices sound real, but the way the AI ​​hosts bounce off each other and the jokes mimic the style and structure of a real podcast.

For example, when the hosts were talking about OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever’s journey with the company (he resigned a few months after Sam Altman returned as CEO), one of the hosts said, “That’s juicy stuff, tell me more “. It moved away from the stiff, robotic voice I expect to hear from AI-generated content and delivered the fun flair I enjoy from podcasts.

The hosts also raised legitimate questions about the topic at hand and exchanged thoughtfully informed responses. It’s like hearing a real conversation with two knowledgeable podcasters — and the ability to customize it to your interests is a game changer.

The quality of the information is solid

Each of the podcasts I’ve produced has provided an accurate overview of the information I’ve provided, and I’ve found no inaccuracies.

Like any AI tool, however, Audio Overview isn’t perfect. Google notes at the bottom of the screen that “NotebookLM can sometimes give inaccurate answers, so you may want to confirm any facts independently.”

With that in mind, I probably wouldn’t use it myself to educate myself on a topic I’m completely unfamiliar with, and it’s a good idea to do your own research – especially if it says something that seems off-putting or inaccurate.

Still, as an avid podcast listener, I was pleasantly surprised by the tool. With so much AI development coming out, it’s rare that I’m amazed by a tool that’s actually available to play with today.

Audio Overviews is probably my favorite AI tool I’ve tried so far – and it showcases the innovative ways AI can be used in our everyday lives.