Google’s viral AI podcast generator just got more customizable, so I put it to the test

NotebookLM, Google’s experimental AI-first pocket book and analysis assistant, has gone viral for its Audio Overview function, which transforms a consumer’s materials right into a podcast. The function simply received an improve to fine-tune the expertise, and I put it to the check. 

The brand new options permit customers to shortly instruct the 2 AI podcast hosts on the matters they need them to debate. For instance, if you happen to add a big doc, you possibly can instruct AI Overviews to make the podcast deal with just one part as an alternative of the complete factor. 

To check out the know-how, after I signed in, I began a brand new pocket book and uploaded a PDF of my greatest AI picture generator roundup for ZDNET. I’ve been curating the record for over two years and making it as complete as potential, so it is a large doc. 

Then, I dropped the PDF into the “Add sources to get began” field and instantly found the supplies AI may generate, together with a FAQ, Examine Information, Desk of Contents, Timeline, Briefing Doc, and Audio Overview. 

In Audio Overview, there are actually two choices: Customise and Generate. To check its capacity to zero in on a subject, I clicked on “Customise”, the place I may enter particular directions. Google offers you solutions for the kind of customization prompts you possibly can embody, corresponding to “Deal with a particular supply”, “Deal with a particular matter”, and “Goal a particular viewers”. 

I typed, “Are you able to deal with one of the best picture generator total?” Inside minutes, it generated a seven-minute podcast episode the place each AI hosts chatted by way of my greatest pics for AI mills, summarizing all my factors and suggesting why every generator received one of the best choose. You possibly can hear to 2 of these minutes under: 

An important half is that the software caught to the directions, solely speaking about one of the best AI picture mills and ignoring all the opposite data within the articles, such because the FAQs, which offer extra background data and fewer details about the precise choices. I can see this focus being helpful if you happen to add a giant file with all of your class notes or a prolonged analysis paper and need to use the AI Overview to focus on a particular part. 

As a bonus, Google has added background listening to the platform, permitting customers to take heed to Audio Overviews whereas persevering with to work inside NotebookLM. 

The software is free and straightforward to make use of if you wish to attempt any of those options. Go to the NotebookLM web site, sign up to your Google account, and observe the steps above. 

Companies inquisitive about utilizing the software with superior enterprise measures can apply for early entry to the NotebookLM Enterprise pilot program.