Here’s how I use NotebookLM to boost my productivity

I’ve been using AI for help with various tasks, both for work and my personal life. Gemini is my AI chatbot of choice, having switched to it from ChatGPT. I use the premium (officially called Advanced) version and find it helpful for finding typos in my writing, understanding certain topics in more detail, and much more.

I heard good things about Google’s NotebookLM but never gave it a proper try. Since Gemini can analyze files, I figured I didn’t need another AI tool for that. But I decided to try it out regardless, and I’m happy I did — NotebookLM has proven to be extremely valuable for me.

I recently bought a new apartment, which involved a lot of paperwork. That includes a document with details regarding the entire project, the purchase agreement, and plenty of others. There were well over 100 pages to read and sign.

I still refer to the documents to check things, as my memory isn’t always the best. For example, to double-check construction details and the fixtures included, I had to go through a lot of documents before finding the answer. Thanks to NotebookLM, those days are over.

I created a new notebook in NotebookLM and added in all the documents related to my purchase. Now, when I have a question, I type it in and get the answer in seconds. It works great, although sometimes a more detailed prompt is needed to get the exact information. It’s still better than a manual search, though.

But this isn’t my only use case for NotebookLM. I also use it for work, and it saves me a ton of time. For example, we have many guidelines at Android Authority regarding formats for different types of articles, among other things, just to ensure everyone is on the same page. It’s easy to forget things, so uploading all the guidelines to NotebookLM allows me to get the info I need by asking a question, saving me time I’d otherwise spend searching for the correct section within a specific document.

I’ve also started using it for product manuals, an idea I got from my colleague Andy, who recently wrote a post about it. This solves two problems. First, I never need to search for a manual, as the ones I need are in NotebookLM. Second, the answer to any problem is just a prompt away. We all know how hard it is to troubleshoot a problem by searching through a 300-page manual. NotebookLM solves this for me.

I’m also in the process of signing up for a new bank account that includes travel insurance, and since insurance companies can be a bit sketchy with their terms and conditions, I use NotebookLM for help. It really helps me find answers to my questions regarding what the insurance actually covers and what is excluded, which isn’t easy to do in a long document that is full of legal lingo — check the screenshot above.

Of course, that’s just my use case. There are plenty of others. It’s great for students, as they can create notebooks with textbooks and class notes and then find answers quickly. Lawyers can create notebooks with specific laws they need to refer to often, and doctors can use them as well for help when needed. It’s helpful for many professions.

So while I was a bit skeptical of NotebookLM at first, I’m happy I gave it a proper shot since. It really does boost my productivity, allowing me to do more in less time. And that’s the whole point of AI for me personally — to help me get organized and speed things up.

Technically, yes. Gemini can analyze documents and find answers to your questions. This feature used to be available only as part of the Advanced subscription but is now rolling out to free users as well. I tested it out recently and was impressed.

NotebookLM is actually powered by Gemini, so the two have a similar skill set in this area. However, NotebookLM is better suited for this task, as that’s what it’s primarily designed for — whereas Gemini has broader applications. It’s easier to organize notes in NotebookLM and find what you’re looking for since you don’t need to scroll through various unrelated chats like in Gemini. The AI chatbot also has an upload limit of 10 files, while NotebookLM’s limit is much higher at 50 per notebook for a free account.

NotebookLM also has other features that add to the experience. The first is podcasts. The tool can create a podcast with two people discussing the topic of your files in a fun and interesting way — it’s less boring than reading the files. It’s very good, although it tends to hype things up. For example, I created a podcast about my new apartment, and it was a bit exaggerated when discussing construction and how every detail is well thought out. It made it sound like it was this super-luxury complex, which it isn’t.

You can also customize the answers from NotebookLM by choosing between an analysis, a guide, or creating a custom tone. Additionally, you can select between a shorter or longer response, although these features are part of the NotebookLM Plus subscription plan. Then there’s the option of creating a briefing document or a study guide with a simple click of a button.

While I had some issues with specific AI features offered by Google, NotebookLM does what it’s supposed to. And we’re still early in its development, so I’m curious to see how much better it may become.

How has your experience with NotebookLM been so far? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.