Ever since Google introduced the “Audio Overviews” feature into its NotebookLM research tool, I have been experimenting with feeding it bodies of text that I did not want to sit and read: stereo instructions, Wikipedia rabbit holes, my Q1 performance review, etc.
With this AI tool, two uncanny valley robot voices are generated to “dive deep” into any documents I upload – adding metaphors, puns, and even casual banter to a summarized conversation. Click play, and what you’ll hear sounds a lot like a stereotypical podcast.
After a few Audio Overviews into my week, I realized I was taking significant time away from listening to podcasts made by real people. And as a podcast producer, this was both alarming and fascinating.
I hate to admit how impressive Audio Overviews is. It organizes topics in segments the way a real podcast would, and it brings in outside context to help you better understand the subject material. I generated a podcast from a Spanish paella recipe I found online, and the hosts made note of the difference in rice texture between paella and risotto, without risotto specifically being mentioned in the recipe.
Like every AI product I’ve ever used, you have to be …
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