On Tuesday, Google announced the rollout of Video Overviews for NotebookLM, its AI-powered note-taking and research assistant.
This new feature transforms complex multimedia content like notes, PDFs, images, and diagrams into easy-to-understand visual presentations.
Users can now get a more engaging and pictorial summary of their documents, replacing or complementing the earlier Audio Overviews format.
Visual presentations transforming note-taking
Video Overviews generate slideshows with narration using visuals such as images, diagrams, quotes, and figures from uploaded documents.
Google describes this feature as especially effective for explaining data, illustrating processes, and making abstract ideas easier to grasp.
For example, users can request help interpreting diagrams from a scholarly article or focus on particular topics by tailoring their learning goals and audience details.
This visual approach is designed to simplify absorbing complex information, making NotebookLM a more powerful research tool.
Users can customise Video Overviews much like Audio Overviews, choosing what to emphasise based on their existing knowledge or team focus areas.
The Studio panel within NotebookLM has also been upgraded, featuring a colourful grid to quickly create Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, Mind Maps, and Reports.
Multi-tasking is supported, allowing users to listen to Audio Overviews while viewing Mind Maps or Study Guides simultaneously.
Availability and plans
Currently, video overviews are available to all English-speaking users over 18 years old, and Google plans to add support for more languages soon.
Users within the same Notebook can share Video Overviews via shareable links, though these links are restricted within user domains for privacy.
The rollout of these updates will continue through early August 2025, aiming to reach all Workspace customers with access to NotebookLM.
This innovation follows Google’s recent efforts to improve NotebookLM’s accessibility by launching mobile apps and introducing curated featured notebooks that help new users dive into the platform without uploading content themselves. With Video Overviews, Google reinforces its commitment to making research and study more interactive, visual, and adaptive to different learning needs.