Google NotebookLM: What is it and when does it release?

The tech world has been buzzing with Google’s Project Tailwind, a new prototype revealed at the I/O conference this year. The project has graduated from its prototype stage and is launching under a new name — NotebookLM. Google’s NotebookLM promises to revolutionize how we interact with documents and text, serving as a personalized AI language model trained on your documents. Here’s everything you need to know about NotebookLM: what it is, how it works, and availability.

What is Google’s NotebookLM?

Previously introduced as Project Tailwind, Google’s NotebookLM is an AI-integrated app powered by Google’s language model, PaLM 2, that uses your files and sources as training material. It was initially proposed as a tool for students but quickly showed potential for broader use. Now, under its new name, NotebookLM is making a broader debut.

As Google explains, the “LM” in NotebookLM stands for “language model.” The service allows users to ground the AI in their notes and sources. This grounding restricts the AI to only the information you provide, creating a truly personalized AI companion versed in the information relevant to you.

Ideally, users can interact with NotebookLM like a tutor or a writing companion. While Google initially proposed it as a tool for students, the potential use cases are far greater. For instance, writers like myself could use it for research, or analysts could use it to sift through data sheets.

However, that all depends on how well it works in practice. AI systems are notorious for making up information when they don’t know the answer, and there’s no guarantee this won’t do the same, even when constrained to personal notes. Although, in the live demo, Google did show that Project Tailwind can create citations for its answers, which is a step in the right direction.

How does Google’s NotebookLM work?

Josh Woodward, a senior director of product management at Google, gave some insight into the workings of Project Tailwind. Users can select files from their Google Drive for the AI to use as learning material. After the user selects their Google Docs, they can use the app to get summaries, ask questions, and generate ideas based on the content provided.

For instance, a medical student could upload a scientific article about neuroscience and ask NotebookLM to, say, create a glossary of key terms related to dopamine. Or content creators could upload their ideas for new videos and ask NotebookLM to generate a script for a short video on any topic. The possibilities are immense, offering a promising future for this app.

While NotebookLM is localized to the Google Docs you upload, the company still recommends fact-checking as the AI might “hallucinate” and produce outputs that are not entirely accurate.

NotebookLM availability

Google is launching NotebookLM for a small group of users in the US. Although the current release is limited, you can sign up to join the waitlist if you’re interested.

Despite its release, it’s still unclear whether NotebookLM will be a free or paid service for consumers. Language models are expensive to train, so how Google will handle this cost remains to be seen.”

Availability and other details may change over time, so check back here for the most up-to-date information.

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