Google's NotebookLM Now Capable of Sourcing Its Own Information

Google has rolled out an exciting update to its AI-powered note-taking tool, NotebookLM, which now includes a handy "Discover" feature. This means you no longer have to manually upload documents or YouTube links to gather information. Instead, you can simply hit the "Discover" button and type in a topic you're curious about. NotebookLM will then scour the web, pulling together relevant sources to help you understand the subject better.

The rollout of this feature began on Wednesday and Google estimates it will take about a week for all users to get access. When you use the Discover feature, NotebookLM quickly sifts through hundreds of potential web sources, selecting the most relevant ones and presenting you with up to ten recommendations. Each recommendation comes with a summary explaining why it's relevant to your query. You can choose which of these sources you want NotebookLM to reference, and then use them in various ways within the app, such as creating FAQs, Briefing Docs, or even podcast-style Audio Overviews where AI hosts discuss the topic.

Once you've selected your sources, they're saved within NotebookLM. This allows you to read them directly and use them as references for citations, note-taking, or answering questions. Google notes that this Discover feature is just the beginning, with more Gemini-powered enhancements on the way to help you find relevant materials for your notebooks.

In addition to the Discover feature, there's another playful addition called "I'm Feeling Curious." By clicking this button, NotebookLM will generate sources on a completely random topic. It's a great way to test the feature's capabilities and also a fun way to stumble upon new subjects, similar to how Wikipedia's random article feature works.