Google NotebookLM now lets you direct your podcast hosts with AI

NotebookLM by Google now allows you to customize podcast-like audio reviews. Before you generate a discussion using a note-taking app, you can give AI hosts instructions on what topic to focus on and even tailor their discussions to suit different audiences.

Last month, Google launched NotebookLM Audio Reviews with two AI hosts who offer “live” discussions about your research. The company notes that its audio reviews are not intended to be a “comprehensive or objective review of a topic” and “simply reflect the sources submitted and any instructions provided.”

To customize your chat, open the notebook in NotebookLM, select “Notebook Guide,” and then go to “Detailed Chat.” Then click “Customize” and enter the instructions you want your AI hosts to follow. NotebookLM will then generate a conversation based on the directions you provide.

In addition to removing the “experimental” label from NotebookLM, Google is introducing background listening to audio overviews, allowing you to listen to AI host discussions while working in other areas of the app. Last month, Google also added the ability to dig deeper into YouTube videos with transcripts to NotebookLM.