In a recent announcement, Google has expanded access to its artificial intelligence-powered note-taking app, NotebookLM, making it available to all users in the United States who are at least 18 years old. The experimental app has undergone significant enhancements, now incorporating Gemini Pro, Google's latest large language model, to assist with document understanding and reasoning. One notable feature is the app's ability to automatically generate summaries and propose follow-up questions based on uploaded documents. Unlike generic chatbots, NotebookLM focuses exclusively on the content within the documents.

As part of its continuous evolution, Google has introduced additional tools to extend the app's capabilities. Users can now leverage NotebookLM to organize curated notes into structured writing projects, such as script outlines, email newsletters, or drafts of marketing plans. The app also offers proactive suggestions based on user activities, like automatically summarizing selected text or refining prose while writing a note. A new noteboard space has been introduced, allowing users to easily pin quotes from their interactions with NotebookLM, addressing a key user request.

Furthermore, Google has implemented several tweaks to enhance user experience. NotebookLM now creates independent new notes when adding content, avoiding clutter in a single notepad. Users can now hide sources for a more focused notetaking experience or selectively engage with specific sources in the notebook. The addition of PDF support and copied text support allows users to paste text for creating new sources and edit titles as needed. Notably, notebooks can now include up to 20 sources, with each source accommodating up to 200,000 words.

The latest developments come five months after Google initially introduced NotebookLM on a limited basis. Originally showcased as "Project Tailwind" during Google I/O, the app was designed to assist students in organizing lecture notes and coursework documents. Despite its promising features, concerns linger about the fate of NotebookLM, with hopes that it avoids the fate of other experimental projects consigned to the "Google Graveyard," as noted by TechCrunch's Devin Coldeway. As users across the United States gain access to the improved NotebookLM, the app's expanding capabilities underscore Google's commitment to refining the AI-driven note-taking experience. Time will tell if NotebookLM successfully stands the test of longevity amid the tech giant's innovative endeavors.