Google has launched a new feature for its AI-powered note-taking tool, NotebookLM, called 'Video Outline' for visual learners and a more powerful 'Studio' panel.
The newly introduced video overview feature, first introduced at I/O 2025, is gradually being rolled out to all NotebookLM users, approximately two months after its introduction. While traditional audio overviews feature AI-generated text summaries and narrations, video overviews combine this with visuals. These short slide-based videos include images, diagrams, quotes, and numerical data from the document, with an AI host directly explaining key points. This allows for faster understanding of complex concepts and makes data-driven analysis much more intuitive.
Another unique feature of the video outline is that it can be customized to suit your needs. For example, you can focus on a specific topic, set learning objectives, and specify the target audience level. It's designed to serve as a useful learning tool for both experts and non-experts alike. Currently, it's only available in English, but Google has announced plans to expand to more languages soon.
The upgraded Studio panel is also noteworthy. Previously, you could only create one audio outline or mind map per notebook. Now, you can create and save multiple copies of the same output, allowing for much more flexible content creation. For example, team notebook users can create video and audio outlines tailored to each member's role, while students preparing for exams can create summaries in various formats for each chapter.
Studio now features a tile-based interface for audio outlines, video outlines, mind maps, and reports, and supports multitasking. Listen to the audio outline while navigating the mind map or reviewing the study guide simultaneously, enabling efficient learning.
Google is also strengthening its integration with YouTube. Simply paste a public YouTube link and Google will summarize the video, bolding key sentences for easy comprehension. You can also upload multiple video links at once to compare them or analyze them by topic. Audio outlines also feature AI, acting as two virtual hosts, to summarize the key points of a video in podcast form.
