Hey {{first name | there}}! 👋
In Tuesday's issue I mentioned NotebookLM as this week's tool to try.
Today we're going deeper — what it actually is, what it can do, and why it's honestly one of the most useful free AI tools available right now.
No technical stuff. Promise. 😊
🤔 So What Exactly Is NotebookLM?
Think of it like a really smart friend who will read any document you hand them — and then answer your questions about it instantly.
You upload your files. It reads them. You ask questions. It answers — based only on what you gave it.
That's the magic. It's not making stuff up from the internet. It's working entirely from your documents. This makes it much more accurate and reliable than a regular AI chatbot.
Who is it for?
Honestly — everyone. Students, professionals, curious readers, small business owners. If you've ever had a long document you didn't want to read fully, NotebookLM is for you.
📂 What Can You Upload?
Here's what NotebookLM can read and work with:
File Type | Example |
|---|---|
Reports, books, research papers | |
📝 Google Docs | Your own notes and drafts |
📊 Google Slides & Sheets | Presentations, spreadsheets |
🌐 Website URLs | Any webpage you paste in |
📖 EPUB files | eBooks (brand new feature!) |
🎵 Audio files | Recorded lectures, podcasts |
🎬 YouTube videos | Paste the link and it reads the transcript |
You can upload up to 50 sources per notebook and up to 500,000 words per source. That's a lot of content.
✨ The Features — Explained Simply
1. Chat With Your Documents
This is the core feature. Upload anything and just start asking questions like:
"Summarise this in 5 bullet points"
"What are the most important things I need to know?"
"Explain this section like I'm a complete beginner"
Every answer comes with a citation showing exactly where in your document it found the information. No guessing, no hallucinating.
2. Audio Overview — The Fan Favourite
This one blew people's minds when it launched and it's still incredible.
Upload any document and NotebookLM turns it into a podcast — two AI hosts having a real conversation about your content, with jokes, analogies, and a natural back-and-forth.
New in 2026: You can now customise it:
Choose the format: deep dive, brief summary, debate, or critique
Tell the hosts what to focus on
Choose the language
Even join the conversation live and ask the hosts questions in real time 🤯
Perfect for learning while commuting, cooking, or exercising.
3. Video Overview — Brand New!
Similar to the Audio Overview but now with visuals. NotebookLM creates an animated video summary of your content — choose from styles like whiteboard, watercolor, or even kawaii (yes, really 😄).
Great for visual learners or anyone who wants a quick overview before diving into a document.
4. Mind Map
NotebookLM automatically generates a visual mind map of everything in your uploaded sources. You can click on any branch of the map and it opens a chat about just that topic.
Super useful when you've uploaded a lot of material and want to understand the big picture first.
5. The Studio Panel — Your Content Factory
On the right side of NotebookLM is the Studio Panel — a one-click content generator. From your uploaded sources it can create:
📋 Briefing docs — a clean summary of the key points
🎓 Study guides — perfect for learning new topics
🃏 Flashcards — tap through and test yourself
✅ Quizzes — multiple choice questions with an answer key
📑 Slide decks — full presentations you can export as PPTX
🖼️ Infographics — visual summaries in 10 different styles
All of this from just uploading a document. One click. Done.
6. Discover Sources
Not sure what to add to your notebook? NotebookLM can now search the web and your Google Drive to find relevant sources for you automatically.
Just tell it your topic and it will find and suggest materials to add. Great for research and staying organised.
🆓 Is It Really Free?
Yes — and the free plan is genuinely generous:
Feature | Free Plan |
|---|---|
Notebooks | Up to 100 |
Sources per notebook | Up to 50 |
Words per source | Up to 500,000 |
Audio Overviews | ✅ Yes |
Video Overviews | ✅ Yes |
Flashcards & Quizzes | ✅ Yes |
Slide decks & Infographics | ✅ Yes |
A paid plan (NotebookLM Plus) exists for power users who need higher limits — but for most beginners the free plan is more than enough.
🚀 How to Get Started in 3 Steps
Go to notebooklm.google.com
Sign in with your Google account
Click "New Notebook" → Upload any document → Start asking questions
That's genuinely it. No setup, no tutorial needed. Most people are up and running in under 2 minutes.
💡 3 Real Ways to Use It Today
📚 Read faster: Upload that long article or report you've been avoiding and ask "What are the 5 most important takeaways?"
🎧 Learn on the go: Turn a boring PDF into an Audio Overview and listen during your commute
📝 Study smarter: Upload your notes and generate flashcards and a quiz to test yourself
In the coming days, I'll send you the NotebookLM Cheat Sheet — the best prompts, shortcuts, and tips to get even more out of it. Don't miss it!
Until then, give it a try and hit reply to let me know what you think. 😊
Jatin Chawla
Founder, AI Made Simple