Turn notes and reports into quick study guides with NotebookLM's AI

February 15, 2025

It is often said that many jobs in 2030 have not been created yet. In an era where information grows exponentially, continuous learning is key to adapting and advancing—both personally and professionally.

However, learning is not always easy. The overwhelming amount of information available can be daunting, and finding the time and the right methods to organize and absorb new concepts is a challenge for many.

Continuous learning ensures mastery of new skills while fostering the right mindset to seize emerging opportunities.

This is where AI reveals its potential, offering more effective ways to acquire knowledge and optimize learning processes.

What is Google’s NotebookLM?

In this context, Google’s NotebookLM is an AI-powered learning tool that transforms extensive documents—such as academic papers, technical manuals, or class notes—into more dynamic and accessible study materials.

NotebookLM uses AI to analyze and restructure document content based on individual needs. This facilitates learning by removing language and resource barriers while adapting information depth to each user’s knowledge and experience.

Thanks to its analytical and synthesis capabilities, this free tool helps extract key concepts, suggest summaries, and generate interactive formats that enhance a deeper and more engaging comprehension of information.

AI has become a powerful tool for learning.

How to use NotebookLM for learning

To make the most of NotebookLM, the first step is to upload one or more documents (PDFs, Word files, Google Docs, spreadsheets, videos, podcasts, web pages…) related to the subject you want to process or learn about. This document could be a specialized whitepaper on cybersecurity or a scientific article on microbiology.

Once integrated into NotebookLM, the tool becomes an ‘expert’ on that topic through the user’s Notebooks. Each Notebook can hold different documents, including handwritten notes that can be converted into text. The AI analyzes all the information and extracts its main sections, automatically transforming it into study material in the preferred language.

For example, you can generate a study guide with the most relevant points or a briefing that summarizes the core content. You can also request an FAQ with the most frequently asked questions derived from the text. This will make it easier to retain information and clarify doubts, or create a glossary of key terms for quick reference.

■ The interactive mode in the audio summary feature is also useful for learning, as it allows voice interaction with content—similar to participating in a class.

Key educational features of NotebookLM

Briefing Doc generates clear and precise summaries, allowing you to quickly identify key points without reading the entire content—but checking that everything that needs to be there is there.

—When working with the whitepaper Generative AI Agents: Architecture, Tools, and Applications, NotebookLM can synthesize key concepts, summarizing the architecture of AI agents, the tools used, and key use cases, offering a quick global overview.

Study Guide creates personalized learning paths, breaking down complex topics into manageable sections. You can request specific explanations or guidance on how to delve deeper into a subject.

—Following the same example, you can ask NotebookLM to design a learning guide to understand how different prompt engineering frameworks, such as ReAct, Chain-of-Thoughts, and Tree-of-Thoughts, influence an AI agent’s reasoning and decision-making abilities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) A dynamic interaction feature that allows users to ask specific questions based on their documents. The AI responds with clear and precise answers, acting like a 24/7 personal tutor. You can also request a list of frequently asked questions about a topic

—Continuing with the same content example, you could ask: 'What is the main difference between AI agents and language models?' to receive an answer directly derived from the document.
Add Notes allows you to incorporate personal annotations and link them to the original documents, keeping key ideas centralized and well-organized.

—While studying the same whitepaper as previous examples, you could expand on the use cases mentioned. You could link them to specific sections where they are described, and turn those notes into additional sources for the model.

■ You can add (or remove) additional sources for the model at any time, in different formats. Continuing with the same example, you might want to incorporate the publication Building Effective Agents into the initial whitepaper. This will expand on different approaches or implementation examples.
Timeline Depending on the case and available information, NotebookLM can generate a chronological sequence of key events and a list of the main figures involved.

—If you are studying a historical event, you can visualize how different events unfolded and who played a role in the process.

Interactive Mind Maps (March 2025 update) NotebookLM now includes the ability to generate interactive mind maps that automatically transform information into organized visual diagrams. This new feature enhances the existing toolkit:
- Instant visualization: Click the 'Mind Map' button located below the chat summary after using 'Summarize Document' to generate an interactive visual diagram.
- Dynamic exploration: Expand nodes by clicking the arrows to reveal subtopics and deeper layers of information.
- Flexible export: Download maps as PNG images for easy sharing or future reference.
- Full integration: Seamlessly works with the rest of NotebookLM’s features, allowing you to add specific notes to each node.

Continuous learning: the key to expanding knowledge

Continuous learning keeps our curiosity alive and encourages us to explore fields that once seemed unfamiliar or unreachable.

Tools like NotebookLM, or even using other language models locally on your own computer for the same purpose, not only accelerates content absorption but also allows for a customized learning experience.