How to Use NotebookLM (Google's New AI Tool)

Tiago Forte
15 Feb 202425:49

TLDRGoogle's new AI tool, NotebookLM, revolutionizes information management by organizing notes and eliminating the need for manual formatting and searching. It integrates a vast amount of text, allowing users to interact with AI in a conversational manner, drawing on specific documents for expertise. NotebookLM is designed for creative work, offering features like source grounding and citation tracking, and aims to streamline the creative process by combining reading, researching, notetaking, and writing into one unified platform.

Takeaways

  • 📓 NotebookLM is a new AI tool released by Google that aims to revolutionize information management and creative work.
  • 🔍 The platform organizes information into notebooks, each dedicated to a specific project or topic, making it easy to manage and distill information.
  • 📈 NotebookLM uses powerful AI models like Gemini and allows users to interact with up to 4 million words of text, providing a large context window for AI interactions.
  • 📝 Users can add sources such as Google Drive documents, PDFs, and text from other apps, enabling the AI to draw knowledge from a variety of documents.
  • 🤖 The AI in NotebookLM can create outlines, answer questions, and even write in different formats like narratives, poems, or Q&A, based on the sources provided.
  • 📌 Important responses can be saved using the pin icon, allowing users to keep track of valuable information and refer back to it easily.
  • 🔗 NotebookLM allows users to add new sources during a conversation, enhancing the AI's understanding and ability to contribute to the ongoing discussion.
  • 📝 The tool can be particularly useful for tasks such as summarizing complex academic papers, creating meeting notes, and drafting proposals.
  • ✍️ For writing tasks, NotebookLM can act as an editor, suggesting improvements, rewriting content, and even generating article ideas and outlines based on user inputs.
  • 🚀 The integration of NotebookLM with tools like Readwise can help users streamline their note-taking and information management processes, making it easier to leverage their knowledge in the AI platform.

Q & A

  • What is Google's new AI tool mentioned in the script?

    -The new AI tool mentioned is called NotebookLM, a platform designed for leveraging AI in creative work and information management.

  • How does NotebookLM change the traditional note-taking and information management process?

    -NotebookLM integrates the stages of the creative process like reading, researching, note-taking, and writing into a single integrated space, allowing users to work at the speed of thought without worrying about formatting, compatibility, or privacy issues.

  • What are the main features of NotebookLM's interface?

    -The main features include a sources column for uploading and selecting documents, a chat-based interface for interacting with the AI, and a pinning board for saving important responses.

  • What types of sources can be used with NotebookLM?

    -Users can use Google Drive documents, uploaded PDFs, and text copied directly from other sources like note-taking apps.

  • How many documents can be selected as sources in NotebookLM?

    -Up to 20 different documents can be selected as sources, with each document able to contain up to 200,000 words.

  • What is the significance of Steven Johnson's involvement in the creation of NotebookLM?

    -Steven Johnson, a best-selling author and thought leader, joined Google Labs to help create this unique AI tool, bringing his vision of a 'second brain' to the project.

  • How can NotebookLM assist in understanding complex texts like academic papers?

    -By uploading a PDF of the text, NotebookLM can summarize the content, answer questions about it, and even translate the information into different formats like letters or proposals.

  • What are some limitations of NotebookLM?

    -NotebookLM has a learning curve due to its new interface, currently requires sources in the form of Google Docs or PDFs, and can have trouble with math, reading poorly formatted PDFs, and handling more than 20 sources.

  • How can users expand their sources beyond the 20-document limit in NotebookLM?

    -Users can manually copy and paste text from additional sources or use an intermediary tool like Readwise to consolidate highlights into Google Docs, which can then be used in NotebookLM.

  • What is the potential impact of NotebookLM on the creative process?

    -NotebookLM has the potential to revolutionize the creative process by collapsing the stages of reading, researching, note-taking, and writing into one AI-assisted, integrated workspace, enabling users to collaborate with AI and maintain a continuous flow of thought.

  • How does NotebookLM ensure the privacy and security of the sources used?

    -The sources used in NotebookLM are not shared or used to train any other models, and they are wiped clean from the AI's short-term memory once the notebook is closed.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Google's Notebook LM

The paragraph introduces a new platform by Google called Notebook LM, which is designed to revolutionize information management. It discusses the impending obsolescence of traditional note-taking and information organization methods. The video aims to provide an overview of what Notebook LM is, how it works, and its potential to leverage AI in creative work. The platform is highlighted as a significant innovation due to Google's expertise in AI and data management, and the involvement of Steven Johnson, a best-selling author and thought leader in the field of 'tools for thought'.

05:02

📑 Getting Started with Notebook LM

This paragraph provides a step-by-step guide on how to get started with Notebook LM. It explains the process of signing up for an account and the limitations for users based in the US. The interface of Notebook LM is described, with a focus on the organization of information into notebooks, each dedicated to a specific project. The main features are detailed, including the 'sources' column that allows users to select documents from Google Drive or upload PDFs to form the basis of AI-generated insights. The capacity to interact with up to 4 million words of text is emphasized, showcasing the tool's ability to handle large volumes of information.

10:02

🌟 Utilizing Notebook LM for Climate Change Preparation

The paragraph demonstrates the application of Notebook LM in creating a structured outline related to personal preparation for climate change. It illustrates the AI's capability to generate hierarchical outlines, answer specific questions, and adapt content into various formats such as a poem, narrative, or FAQ. The paragraph also explains how to save valuable responses using the 'pin' feature and the flexibility to add additional sources to the conversation. The unique aspect of Notebook LM is highlighted— its ability to train on specific documents, providing a more personalized and authoritative AI experience.

15:03

📈 Convicing IT Administrators with Notebook LM

This paragraph showcases a practical use case of Notebook LM in a professional setting, specifically in convincing an IT administrator about the importance of not saving every file. The AI's ability to summarize complex information, such as a technical paper on the role of forgetting in learning, is demonstrated. The paragraph also highlights the importance of source citations in providing context and credibility to the information derived from Notebook LM. The platform's capacity to transform information into different formats, like a letter in this case, is emphasized, along with the ease of tracing the origins of each piece of information.

20:05

🤖 Streamlining Meetings with Notebook LM

The paragraph illustrates how Notebook LM can be used to streamline the process of sifting through meeting notes or transcripts. It describes the process of uploading a Google Doc containing a detailed transcription of a phone call and using Notebook LM to extract the main points of the conversation. The AI's capability to create a proposal for a group workshop based on the uploaded document and additional sources is demonstrated. The paragraph also highlights the AI's ability to anticipate needs and generate comprehensive content, such as a detailed curriculum, while ensuring the privacy of the sources used.

25:07

🖋️ Enhancing Writing with Notebook LM

This paragraph delves into the use of Notebook LM as a writing tool, emphasizing its potential to assist in the creative and complex writing process. It describes how the AI can act as an editor, suggesting improvements to existing pieces of writing and reformatting them based on user instructions. The paragraph also explores the AI's ability to help in the ideation process, providing structure and meaning to messy notes, and suggesting article ideas based on connections found in different sources. The power of Notebook LM in transforming initial ideas into well-structured outlines and even drafting opening lines for articles is highlighted.

🚀 Notebook LM: The Future of Creative Collaboration

The paragraph discusses the transformative potential of Notebook LM in integrating various stages of the creative process. It emphasizes the tool's ability to eliminate the need to switch between different software for reading, researching, note-taking, and writing. The paragraph acknowledges the experimental nature of the platform and the challenges that come with it, such as the learning curve, limitations on the number of sources, and issues with handling certain formats or large documents. It concludes with an optimistic outlook on future improvements and the integrated, collaborative nature of Notebook LM, which allows users to work at the speed of thought.

💬 Closing Thoughts on Notebook LM

In the final paragraph, the speaker invites users to sign up for a free account on notebook lm. goole.com and share their experiences with the platform. The speaker also humorously reflects on the difficulty of pronouncing the word 'Google,' suggesting a playful approach to engaging with the technology.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡NotebookLM

NotebookLM is a new AI tool developed by Google, designed to revolutionize the way we interact with information. It is a platform that organizes notes and sources in a structured manner, allowing users to draw on a specific set of documents for insights and knowledge. This tool is different from traditional AI as it is 'source grounded,' meaning it is trained on a specific set of documents that the user trusts, providing authoritative and private information. In the video, the creator demonstrates how NotebookLM can be used to summarize complex texts, generate outlines, and even draft proposals by integrating with Google Drive documents and PDFs.

💡AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and learn like humans. In the context of the video, AI is leveraged in NotebookLM to process and understand large volumes of text, extract key points, and generate new content based on the user's requests. The AI in NotebookLM is particularly powerful because it is trained on sources that the user provides, allowing it to offer insights and information that are relevant and trustworthy.

💡Information Management

Information management involves the collection, organization, and use of information to support business processes. In the video, the speaker discusses how traditional information management tasks such as organizing and formatting notes are becoming obsolete with the advent of AI tools like NotebookLM. The platform aims to streamline the process of managing information by providing a single, integrated space for reading, researching, note-taking, and writing, thus enhancing productivity and creativity.

💡Steven Johnson

Steven Johnson is a multiple-time best-selling author and a key figure in the creation of NotebookLM. He is known for his work on 'tools for thought,' which includes the concept of 'second brains.' In the video, it is mentioned that Johnson joined a team at Google Labs to help create NotebookLM, a tool that closely aligns with his vision of a 'second brain.' This term refers to an external system that augments one's cognitive abilities by organizing and synthesizing information, which NotebookLM aims to achieve.

💡Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows users to store, share, and collaborate on documents, presentations, and other files. In the video, Google Drive is highlighted as a critical component of NotebookLM's functionality. Users can upload documents to Google Drive and then integrate these documents as sources in NotebookLM. This enables the AI to analyze and draw from the content of these documents, providing users with insights and summaries based on their specific data.

💡Source Grounded AI

The term 'source grounded AI' refers to AI systems that are trained on a specific set of documents or data provided by the user. This is in contrast to AI models that are trained on general or publicly available data. In the context of NotebookLM, being 'source grounded' means that the AI is tailored to the user's unique information needs, analyzing and generating insights from documents that the user trusts and has selected. This ensures that the AI's responses are relevant and authoritative, as they are based on the user's private and trusted information.

💡Second Brain

A 'second brain' is a term used to describe a system or tool that augments one's own cognitive abilities by managing and organizing information. In the video, Steven Johnson is noted for introducing the concept, and NotebookLM is described as a tool that closely aligns with this vision. The 'second brain' in NotebookLM is realized through its ability to integrate with a user's documents, summarize and analyze information, and generate new content based on the user's requests, thus supporting and enhancing the user's thought processes.

💡Readwise

Readwise is a tool mentioned in the video that helps users save and organize highlights and notes from books and articles. It is particularly useful for integrating with NotebookLM, as it allows users to export their highlights to Google Docs, which can then be used as sources in NotebookLM. This process enables users to leverage the insights and knowledge they have gained from their readings in a structured and AI-enhanced environment.

💡Content Creation

Content creation refers to the process of producing and sharing original content, such as articles, videos, or other forms of media. In the video, NotebookLM is presented as a powerful tool for content creators, as it can help with tasks such as generating outlines, drafting proposals, and even writing articles. The AI's ability to draw from a wide range of sources and present information in various formats makes it a valuable collaborator in the content creation process.

💡Collaborative Workflow

A collaborative workflow involves multiple individuals or systems working together to achieve a common goal. In the context of the video, NotebookLM facilitates a collaborative workflow between the user and the AI. The user provides sources and requests, while the AI processes the information and generates responses. This back-and-forth interaction allows for a dynamic and efficient process of creating and refining content, where the AI acts as an intelligent assistant that understands and enhances the user's ideas.

💡Learning and Forgetting

The concept of learning and forgetting refers to the idea that the act of forgetting can sometimes be beneficial to the learning process. In the video, this concept is discussed in relation to a technical paper that the AI summarizes, highlighting how NotebookLM can help users understand complex concepts by breaking them down into more digestible summaries. The ability to focus on key points and discard irrelevant information is crucial for effective learning and knowledge retention.

Highlights

Google has released a new AI tool called NotebookLM, designed to revolutionize information management and creative work.

NotebookLM uses powerful AI models like Gemini and is created by a team including Steven Johnson, a best-selling author.

The platform organizes information into notebooks, each dedicated to a specific project or topic.

Users can create a new notebook and title it based on the information they want to organize.

NotebookLM's main interface features a sources column, where users can add documents to draw knowledge from.

AI creates a summary or abstract for each source, highlighting key topics and making them easily accessible.

Users can interact with up to 4 million words of text by selecting multiple documents from Google Drive.

NotebookLM allows users to work with multiple sources simultaneously, enhancing its capabilities compared to other AI tools.

The AI can generate outlines, answer questions, and produce content in various formats like poems or Q&A, based on the sources.

Users can pin important responses from the AI to a dedicated space for easy reference and future use.

NotebookLM is different from other AI tools as it is 'source grounded', meaning it can be trained on specific, trusted documents.

The platform provides value citations, showing the context and origin of every piece of information or argument.

NotebookLM can be used to summarize complex academic papers, making them more understandable.

Users can leverage NotebookLM to create proposals, training programs, and other professional documents.

The AI can help users find main points in lengthy documents like meeting transcripts, saving significant time.

NotebookLM can assist in the creative writing process by acting as an editor, suggesting improvements, and even rewriting pieces.

The tool can aid in the ideation process for writing, helping users to structure their thoughts and develop article ideas.

NotebookLM integrates the stages of the creative process into a single space, allowing users to work at the speed of thought.

Despite its capabilities, NotebookLM is an experimental platform and may have some limitations and require a learning curve.