If you have ever had to read a long report, a stack of research papers, or a dense policy document and thought "there has to be a better way" -- there is. It is called NotebookLM, and it is completely free.
Made by Google, NotebookLM is different from other AI tools in one important way: it only works with the documents you give it. You upload your PDFs, paste in articles, or add links to websites, and it becomes an expert on exactly that material. It will not make things up or pull in outside information -- everything it tells you comes from your sources.
What can you do with it?
- →Upload a long report and ask it to summarise the key points
- →Ask specific questions: "What does this document say about the budget for next year?"
- →Create a study guide or FAQ from your notes
- →Generate a timeline of events from a document
- →Compare two documents and highlight the differences
- →Turn your documents into a podcast-style audio summary you can listen to
The podcast feature is genuinely brilliant
This is the one that tends to make people's jaws drop. NotebookLM can take your uploaded documents and generate a realistic, conversational audio podcast where two AI hosts discuss the content. It is surprisingly natural-sounding, and it is a genuinely useful way to absorb information when you do not have time to sit and read.
Imagine uploading a 60-page industry report and listening to a 15-minute summary on your commute. That is exactly what this does.
Who is it most useful for?
NotebookLM is particularly valuable for anyone who regularly has to process a lot of written information. That includes people in research, law, healthcare, education, finance, and anyone who has to stay on top of reports, policies, or industry news.
It is also brilliant for students. Upload your lecture notes, textbooks, and reading lists, and you have an AI tutor that knows exactly what you have been studying.
Start with one document you have been putting off reading. Upload it to NotebookLM, ask it for a summary and the three most important takeaways. You will be amazed how quickly you can get up to speed.
How to get started
- →Go to notebooklm.google.com (you will need a Google account)
- →Click 'New Notebook'
- →Upload a PDF, paste in some text, or add a link to a website
- →Start asking questions in the chat box on the right
- →To generate an audio summary, click the 'Audio Overview' button
It takes about two minutes to set up, and once you have tried it, it is one of those tools you will keep coming back to. Best of all, it is completely free.
