Google NotebookLM adds Lecture Mode for 30-minute AI learning sessions with British accent

Google NotebookLM introduces "Lecture Mode" for 30-minute AI learning

Google Notebook LM has introduced a new lecture mode, enabling users to generate 30-minute audio overviews from uploaded content. The feature provides a single-voice, continuous audio explanation of a topic, structured as a class session. Users can select lecture lengths, including a "Long" option that runs for approximately 30 minutes. This development follows previous updates, including digital podcast hosts and conversational AI capabilities within Notebook LM. Arthur K. at Ghacks said the lecture format is "designed to generate a single, continuous audio explanation of a topic, structured more like a class session than a summary." Ghacks further noted users could choose lecture lengths with options labeled Short, Default, and Long, with a long lecture designed to run for roughly 30 minutes delivered by a single AI host. Notebook LM plans to incorporate a British accent for the lecture delivery. This accent, combined with the lecture modality, aims to enhance passive learning and background consumption, facilitating the absorption of long documents, research material, or notes without active reading. It also reduces the need to manually break sources into smaller summaries. Matt Horne at Android Authority said the key difference in these lectures compared to other Notebook LM audio overviews lies in their tone and structure. Horne added it is designed to calmly explain and connect ideas across sources rather than summarizing quickly or staging a back-and-forth, making it suitable for extended listening.

Google's NotebookLM to Reportedly Add a Lecture Mode to Audio Overviews

The Lecture mode in Audio Overviews is said to be 30 minutes long Google's NotebookLM could soon get two new upgrades to its popular Audio Overviews feature. As per the report, the tool could get a new Lecture mode, which is designed to help users gain a thorough understanding of a topic. The new mode is said to be added to the existing four modes and will become the longest audio-generating feature of Audio Overviews. Alongside, the company has officially teased a new British English accent for the Audio Overviews. The release timeline for either is currently not known. NotebookLM to Upgrade Audio Overviews In recent months, the Mountain View-based tech giant has increased its focus on NotebookLM, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered learning platform. The company dropped five new features in 48 hours in November, including custom video overview styles, chat history, image as a source, Flashcard and Quizzes expansion, and Deep Research integration. Later, the Gemini 3 Pro AI model was brought to the platform, and the mobile app also got an in-built camera support. Just last week, the NotebookLM team added Data Tables to the platform, allowing users to organise information scattered across a source (or multiple sources) into a Google Sheet-style data table. Now, while the developers are enjoying a well-deserved Christmas break, two under-development features have also surfaced. The first of them is the Lecture mode in Audio Overviews. According to a TestingCatalog report, the new mode will offer the longest audio generation time with a maximum limit of 30 minutes. The publication found the evidence for the feature in a recent NotebookLM build's strings of code and user interface (UI) references. Lecture joins Audio Overviews' existing modes, including Deep Dive, Brief, Critique, and Debate. The report claims that it is focused on explanations and connecting different added sources and materials cohesively. Interestingly, this mode is said to only support a single host, similar to how lectures work in real life. The second feature was teased by the company itself in a recent post on X (formerly known as Twitter). NotebookLM hinted that users might soon get to listen to their audio files in different accents, with British English being one of them. Notably, the feature supports a wide range of languages, but no accents so far.