Google announced a major update for its AI-powered research and notetaking assistant, NotebookLM, with its “Video Overviews” feature now supporting over 80 languages. The expansion is a significant step toward making complex information more accessible to a global user base, including native speakers of languages that are often underrepresented in AI models.
The Video Overviews feature, first introduced in July, transforms a user’s notes, documents, and research materials into a concise, AI-narrated video complete with AI-generated visuals, diagrams, and key quotes pulled directly from the source. The update enables users to generate these visual summaries in their preferred language, eliminating language barriers for students, researchers, and professionals worldwide. The list of newly supported languages is extensive and includes major global languages such as French, German, and Spanish, as well as a wide range of Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.
In a related update, Google has also enhanced NotebookLM’s “Audio Overviews.” Previously, non-English Audio Overviews were limited to short summaries. With this new rollout, they will now be “significantly upgraded” to deliver the same depth and detail as their English counterparts. This means users can now get full-length, in-depth discussions that synthesize ideas across their sources, regardless of the language they choose. For those who still prefer a quick recap, the option for a shorter summary will remain available.
The updates, which are rolling out to all users globally over the next week, underscore Google’s commitment to making its AI tools more inclusive and useful for a diverse audience. Users can easily change the output language for both Video and Audio Overviews through the NotebookLM settings or when generating a new overview. This flexibility allows for the creation of multilingual content and study materials, a feature particularly beneficial for international collaboration and education. With these enhancements, Google’s NotebookLM is poised to become an even more powerful tool for knowledge management and learning across the globe.
