Google has updated NotebookLM with a “Deep Research” tool and expanded file type support, facilitating automated research and broader document integration.
The “Deep Research” tool automates complex online research by creating research plans and browsing websites. It then presents a source-grounded report for direct incorporation into a user’s notebook. Users can continue adding sources while Deep Research operates.
This tool aims to build organized knowledge bases without workflow interruption. Users access “Deep Research” by selecting “Web” in the source panel and choosing their research style. “Deep Research” provides full briefings and in-depth analysis, while “Fast Research” offers quick searches.
NotebookLM now supports additional file types: Google Sheets, Drive files as URLs, PDFs from Google Drive, and Microsoft Word Documents. This allows for generating summaries from spreadsheets and copying multiple Drive files as URLs. Google states these updates will be available to all users within one week.
Since its late 2023 launch, NotebookLM has received functional enhancements. Earlier this year, Video Overviews were introduced, converting multimedia like raw notes and PDFs into visual presentations. This built upon the Audio Overviews feature, which generates AI podcasts from documents such as course readings. In May, Google released NotebookLM applications for Android and iOS, extending service availability beyond desktop platforms.
