NotebookLM has an audio overview feature that can create podcasts with your uploaded data. A much easier way to learn something with a natural conversation between two people or AI bots. This has been my biggest reason to use NotebookLM along with Gemini. Now, Google is bringing this feature directly to Gemini. So is this the time to finally leave NotebookLM? Well, the answer is not that simple.
Gemini’s New Audio Overview Feature
Google has integrated NotebookLM’s Audio Overview feature into Gemini, making it incredibly easy to generate podcast-style summaries of documents, slides, reports, and even conversations you had with Gemini. Just upload a text-based document, and Gemini transforms it into a podcast featuring two AI-generated hosts who discuss the key points naturally, making it much easier to absorb information without having to read through lengthy texts.
What makes this feature stand out is the quality. The AI voices sound surprisingly human, with a natural back-and-forth conversation rather than a robotic monotone. You can upload files in formats like Google Docs, PDFs, and Slides, with support for up to 10 files at a time, each up to 100MB. Alternatively, you can also create a report using Gemini’s Deep Research feature and use that as a source to generate a podcast.
Once uploaded, click on the Generate Audio Overview button, and within minutes your AI-generated podcast is ready.
The length of the podcast depends on the size of the documents. For example, a 44-page document generated a 38-minute podcast. Also, uploading larger files or more files takes more time for Gemini to process. For me, it generated in less than a minute for a small document but took around 7-8 minutes to generate this 38-minute podcast.
Audio Overview is available to all Gemini users, both free and Gemini Advanced, and works on both the web and mobile versions. However, as of now, it only supports English, with more languages expected to roll out within a week. Also remember, that Gemini has different AI models that work differently with Audio Overview feature.
- You can generate an audio overview (Podcast) from both uploaded documents and generated responses when using the Deep Research model. You will see the Generate Audio Overview button in Deep Research model when you click on the arrow next to Export to Docs.
- However, when using other AI models like 2.0 Flash Thinking, you can generate a podcast only when you upload a document. You cannot generate an audio overview from generated responses/reports.
The podcast may not contain every small detail from the uploaded data though. Rather, it focuses on touching all the ‘key’ points and giving you an overall understanding. To dig deeper, you can ask questions to Gemini about a particular point and Gemini will answer that by taking your documents as the source.
So, Is It Time to Leave NotebookLM? Not Really
For many people, yes. If you only used NotebookLM for its Audio Overview feature, then switching to Gemini makes sense. It’s more integrated and accessible directly within Gemini’s chat interface. However, NotebookLM still holds significant advantages that Gemini doesn’t fully replicate – yet.
- Interactive Podcast Mode: In NotebookLM, you can join the AI-hosted podcast interactively, asking questions and diving deeper into specific topics. Gemini’s version doesn’t support that level of interaction yet.
- Document Limitations: NotebookLM allows you to upload up to 50 documents in the free version and 5x more with the Pro version. Gemini, at least for now, is limited to 10 documents.
- Research Capabilities: NotebookLM isn’t just an audio tool—it’s a research assistant. It helps students and researchers by answering questions based on uploaded documents, creating notes, and even structuring study guides. Gemini, while powerful, isn’t designed specifically for research in the same way.
That said, if your primary use case is generating quick, engaging audio overviews, Gemini’s integration makes it a solid alternative. It removes the extra step of switching between two tools and makes AI-generated podcasts more accessible to a larger audience. But for those who need deep research tools and advanced document management, NotebookLM remains the better choice.
