Google’s NotebookLM, a research tool initially launched in July 2023, has started to evolve with new enterprise-focused applications, particularly in the corporate sector. The platform allows users to organize and access various file types, including PDFs, websites, Google Docs, and Google Slides, and even engage with Google’s AI-powered Gemini to ask questions about these documents. While it first found popularity with students for educational purposes, the tool is increasingly seeing adoption by corporate teams for research and information sharing. Google Product Manager Raiza Martin noted that professionals are now using NotebookLM in ways similar to students, emphasizing its utility for organizing and retrieving information in a single space.
The recent expansion of NotebookLM’s capabilities includes an audio generation feature that creates podcast-like discussions of research materials within the platform. Users can listen to two speakers analyze or summarize content in their notebooks. Martin explained that this dual-speaker format was chosen for its engaging nature, as early tests showed it helped users connect to the content more effectively than a single voice. This feature has already attracted attention, with some users applying it to explain complex topics like code bases. Martin indicated that future updates would allow users to customize the number of speakers, voices, and content.
NotebookLM’s growth has also led to a range of unique use cases, from corporate research to more unconventional ones, such as a Dungeons and Dragons dungeon master using the tool to manage campaign information. While the platform remains a standalone product, some of its features could eventually be integrated into other Google productivity tools.
