Google’s NotebookLM adds ‘Deep Research’ tool, support for more file types

Google has rolled out significant updates to its AI-powered note-taking and research assistant, NotebookLM. The latest addition, dubbed 'Deep Research,' is designed to streamline complex research tasks for users. This innovative tool acts as a virtual researcher, capable of synthesizing detailed reports and suggesting relevant articles, papers, and websites based on user inquiries. With Deep Research, users can input their questions, and the tool generates a comprehensive research plan while browsing the internet on their behalf. In just a few minutes, it delivers a source-based report that can be seamlessly incorporated into the user's notebook. As this tool works in the background, users are free to add other sources and materials, allowing for an organized and extensive knowledge base without disrupting their workflow. Accessing Deep Research is simple; users need to initiate a search within the source panel and select 'Web' as their source. They have the option to choose between 'Deep Research' for thorough briefings or 'Fast Research' for quicker insights. In addition to this powerful research capability, Google has expanded NotebookLM's support for various file types. Users can now upload Google Sheets, Google Drive files as URLs, PDFs from Google Drive, and Microsoft Word documents. This enhancement enables tasks such as generating summaries from spreadsheets and easily copying multiple Drive files as URLs. Google anticipates that these updates will be available to all users within the week. Since its introduction in late 2023, NotebookLM has continuously evolved, incorporating features like Video Overviews, which transform complex multimedia into clear visual presentations. Earlier this year, the company also introduced Audio Overviews, creating AI-generated podcasts from shared documents, such as course readings or legal briefs. Furthermore, the launch of NotebookLM apps for Android and iOS in May has made this innovative service accessible beyond desktop users.