Google recently made an upgrade to its already impressive AI tool, Notebook LM, which lets you interact with uploaded PDFs, Google Drive documents, and website links. You can ask it questions, summarize information, create outlines, or even build presentations based on the contents of your files. Up until recently, this was all done through text. But now, Google has introduced a podcast feature that changes things quite a bit. Here’s why I’m torn about it.
New Podcast Feature: Useful or Overkill?
Until a few days ago, you typed in your questions, and the AI responded with text-based answers. Simple, effective. Now, with this new feature, the AI can create a podcast for you based on the documents you upload. It's not just any podcast either—it's a fully produced audio experience featuring two hosts (a male and female), speaking in clear, polished voices with perfect diction. You get a 6-8 minute podcast, discussing the contents of the files you’ve uploaded.
This sounds great, right? Well, I’m not sure.
On the one hand, it’s undeniably cool. You can now listen to a breakdown of your documents while multitasking—say, while driving or working out. But on the other hand, is this something we really need? Is listening to an AI-generated podcast truly better than reading through a document or scanning a summary?
Testing the Limits: AI-Created Podcasts About AI-Created Worlds
To get a feel for what this AI podcast can do, I decided to upload a document about Tencent’s latest AI project. Tencent is developing a system called Game Geno that uses AI to generate entire video game worlds, from the graphics to the storylines, characters, and interactions. Think of limitless, open-world games, but all designed in real-time by AI.
After uploading the document, the podcast feature delivered a concise overview of this ambitious project. It explained how Game Geno uses a massive dataset, called OAME Data, of about 150 games to learn the ins and outs of game design. Once trained, the AI doesn’t just replicate games—it starts to create them. The podcast hosts described how the AI was able to produce characters like Geralt from The Witcher and even combine elements from different genres, such as having Robocop battle zombies in a fantasy forest.
As impressive as this is, the AI’s real strength comes from understanding how all the game elements should interact. It’s not just throwing objects into a scene; it knows how to adjust lighting, animate characters, and create a dynamic world that feels organic.
Sounds wild, right? Well, it is, and it’s only just getting started.
AI-Generated Podcasts: What Does It Mean for Content Creation?
Creating a podcast from a bunch of research papers or articles is pretty efficient, no doubt. For someone who doesn't have time to sit down and read through lengthy reports, this could be a game-changer. You can upload multiple files, combine different sources, and ask the AI to synthesize all of it into a short audio briefing. It’s simple to use—just upload your files, click a button, and wait a few minutes for the podcast to be generated.
That’s where it starts to feel a little unsettling for me. With AI doing so much of the heavy lifting, are we at risk of losing the human element in content creation? Sure, it’s nice to have a robot summarize research for you, but can it replace the nuance that comes with human analysis and creativity? As of now, the AI-generated content is polished but lacks that human touch, and customization options are still limited.
Conclusion: A Useful Tool with a Catch
Google’s Notebook LM has undeniably added a powerful new feature. The ability to create a podcast from documents is incredibly useful for multitasking or digesting information in a more engaging way. However, it raises some questions about the future of content creation. Are we ready for a world where AI not only produces information but also delivers it to us in polished, human-like voices? While this tool is helpful, it feels like we’re only scratching the surface of what AI will do for us—and possibly to us—in the near future.
For now, the podcast feature is a fun and practical addition, but we should keep a close eye on how it evolves and what it means for human content creators.
How to Try Notebook LM’s Podcast Feature
If you’re curious and want to try out this new podcast feature, it’s available for free under Google’s Notebook LM. You can upload PDFs, links, and documents from Google Drive, and the AI will do the rest. After generating the podcast, you can download it, share it, or even animate it using tools like HeyGen for a full AI-generated multimedia experience.
So, what do you think? Could this become your new favorite way to consume information, or does it feel like just another AI gimmick?
Stay curious, and let’s see where AI takes us next.
