Google's NotebookLM Revolutionizes Learning with AI-Powered Video Overviews

NotebookLM can now turn your notes into anime-style videos, thanks to its latest update

A few weeks ago, Google announced a feature many had been waiting for desperately (including me): Video Overviews. The feature essentially converts any sources you upload (PDFs, YouTube videos, webpage URLs, Google Docs, etc.) into a NotebookLM Audio Overview, which most consider the tool's best feature, paired with visuals to match the content. Given that I use NotebookLM primarily for studying, I like to describe the Video Overviews feature as Khan Academy-like videos with an AI twist. Similar to Audio Overviews, you can add custom instructions to guide the narration or focus on specific points, which makes it perfect for summarizing complex material or creating study recaps. While the Video Overviews feature is already quite great, Google is now making it even better. Thanks to Nano Banana, NotebookLM can now generate Video Overviews in six new styles As announced via a post on The Keyword blog, Google is rolling out a massive update to the Video Overviews feature by bringing its latest AI image editing model (which has been making headlines too), Nano Banana, to NotebookLM. Google explains that with Nano Banana in NotebookLM, it "generates helpful, contextual, and beautiful illustrations based on the sources you upload." With this update, the Video Overviews feature is getting six new visual styles: Watercolor, Papercraft, Anime, Whiteboard, Retro Print, and Heritage. Once you've created a notebook (or opened an existing one) and populated it with the sources you'd like to generate a Video Overview from, you can hit the pencil icon on the Video Overview tile. You'll then find these six new visual styles under the Choose visual style header. I'm personally most excited for the Anime option since I've always loved anime, and watching my lecture slides in that style honestly sounds like the perfect mix of productive and fun. If you'd rather generate the kind of Video Overviews NotebookLM has been creating by default, you can choose Classic. While there might be times when you want to generate a Video Overview in a specific format, sometimes you just might not be able to choose. In those cases, you can let NotebookLM decide for you by selecting Auto Select. As before, you can add any instructions you may have under the "What should the AI hosts focus on?" header. NotebookLM is also getting a new Video Overview format Another change NotebookLM introduced with this update is a new format for Video Overviews called Brief. Unlike the update above, this isn't a visual style. Instead, it's a shorter, more to-the-point version of a regular Video Overview, designed for when you only need quick insights rather than a full breakdown. When you'd like a more in-depth, comprehensive overview of your sources, you can simply use the Explainer format. The good news is that the six new visual styles work with both. Both the new styles and formats will begin rolling out to NotebookLM Pro users this week, and to all users in the coming weeks.

NotebookLM Video Overviews add Nano Banana visual styles, Brief or Explainer formats

After introducing in July, NotebookLM is giving Video Overviews a big upgrade with the help of Google's Nano Banana image editing and generation model (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image). You can now choose from one of two Video Overview formats: Meanwhile, NotebookLM is now using Nano Banana to offer six new visual styles for your video: Whiteboard, Watercolor, Retro print, Heritage, Paper-craft, and Anime. Classic remains available as the original style, with an "Auto-select" option offered if you don't want to choose. In generating "helpful, contextual, and beautiful illustrations based on the sources you upload," Google wants to "help you understand and remember them." Select the pencil icon in the Video Overview tile of the Studio panel. These two new options join language customization and the prompt box that lets you focus the AI hosts on specific sources, use cases, and structure. These two updates are rolling out first to NotebookLM Pro users (Google AI Pro) this week. It will be available to all (free) users in the coming weeks.

NotebookLM gets even better as Google adds Nano Banana upgrade

Pro users get the update first, with simple steps to tailor summaries to the exact sections you care about. What's happened? NotebookLM just picked up a sizable upgrade to Video Overviews, the tool that turns your sources into narrated videos. Google has added Nano Banana, its Gemini powered AI image generator, for richer, contextual art, and a new Brief format when you want the essentials without the sprawl. Video Overviews can now choose from six looks, watercolor, retro print, anime, whiteboard, papercraft, and heritage. New way to watch with the Brief format, which goes for the core ideas in one pass. Explainer remains for deep dives. Nano Banana pulls cues from your actual documents, so the visuals track with what you uploaded. Some NotebookLM Pro users will start seeing the update this week. A broader rollout will follow in the coming weeks. This is important because: Dense and dry material can feel like a slog to read through. Visual learners tend to lock in concepts when they can see them, not just read them, and a quick brief gives you a snapshot before you invest in a longer watch. The new looks turn abstract passages into scenes, charts, and sketches that actually help. Brief gives the gist at a glance, helping you decide if more detail is worth it. Illustrations tie back to your sources, which cuts down on generic art and boosts recall. Recommended Videos Why should I care? Because you can shape the output to match how you learn. Nothing is fixed. Tweak the format, pick a look, and steer the content until it clicks. Choose a style that fits: Watercolor for concept mapping or whiteboard for step by step thinking, with anime or retro print when a little flair helps memory. Start compact, then switch to a deeper, structured cut when you are ready. Add targeted prompts, highlight methods and results or prioritize prep and steps, so the video mirrors your goals. Google keeps making NotebookLM better, just last month it added a raft of new features. Okay, so what's next? If you are on Pro, the workflow stays simple so you can try it now. Everyone else should see it soon, and NotebookLM team's public replies hint at where it might go. We've been big fans of NotebookLM for a while now, and recommend you download it. Create a Video Overview, then customize the format and style. Add a nudge if you want tighter scope. On X, the NotebookLM account floated "sketch to learn" as an interesting direction. There's also iPhone availability in the works, but for now it's part of a roadmap, so there's no firm release date.

Google NotebookLM Turns Your Notes Into Anime Videos With New AI Update - Phandroid

Google NotebookLM received a major upgrade that transforms research notes into visually engaging videos. The AI-powered research tool now offers six different visual styles, including anime. Additionally, it uses Google's advanced Gemini image generation model, codenamed Nano Banana, to create contextual illustrations based on uploaded sources. The updated Video Overviews feature offers users a choice between six visual styles: Watercolor, Papercraft, Anime, Whiteboard, Retro Print, and Heritage. According to Google's announcement, these videos come in two formats. There's an in-depth "Explainer" video for comprehensive coverage and a quick "Brief" video for faster summarization. Users can customize the AI narration and visuals to focus on specific parts of their documents. This makes summaries highly relevant to their needs. For tech enthusiasts and developers dealing with dense technical documentation, NotebookLM video overviews make information easier to digest. The anime-style videos bring a creative twist that appeals to technology and digital art communities. Unlike traditional note-taking apps, NotebookLM leverages AI to synthesize information across multiple sources into engaging multimedia content. The feature represents a shift from text-heavy AI tools to multimedia enrichment. Users can upload documents, PDFs, Google Docs, and even YouTube videos. The AI then generates narrated slideshows with custom visuals. This bridges the gap between information collection and actual comprehension. It's especially valuable when time is limited and information overload is common in tech fields. NotebookLM's evolution from Google's Project Tailwind has expanded beyond basic note-taking. The platform can now search inside Google Drive files, generate podcast-style audio summaries, and create study guides from source materials. The addition of styled video generation takes this further. It offers users multiple ways to interact with their research beyond reading text. The customization options let users tailor videos to their specific needs. This includes highlighting key technical specifications, visualizing data trends, or creating educational content from meeting notes. For professionals, students, and content creators who manage large volumes of information, this update is a game changer. It transforms static notes into dynamic learning materials that can be shared or reviewed later.

Google Adds New Features to Video Overviews to Help Learn Topics Better

Users can tailor Video Overviews with Explainer and Brief formats Google on Monday announced new features for NotebookLM to help users better understand complex topics. The company is bringing Nano Banana -- its artificial intelligence (AI) image model -- to Video Overviews, taking advantage of its generation speed, element-based editing, and consistent character. As per the company, there are six new visual styles in Video Overviews, including Anime, Heritage, and Retro Print. Alongside, Google is also rolling out two new formats to generate a detailed summary with the AI feature. Nano Banana in Video Overviews According to Google, Video Overviews can convert notes and documents into narrated videos for easier understanding, leveraging the company's proprietary AI models. It is now adding Gemini's image generation model called Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, otherwise known as Nano Banana, to the AI feature. This update will provide users with more options for how Video Overviews appear and feel, the company said in a blog post. New customisation features in Video Overviews Photo Credit: Google With Nano Banana, Video Overviews in NotebookLM can generate helpful, contextual and visually appealing illustrations based on the sources uploaded by the user to better understand and remember them. It will use one of the following six new visual styles when generating content: Google previously claimed that this AI model offers state-of-the-art (SOTA) speed and quality in image generation. It can also maintain a higher character consistency while editing elements within the image, such as changing the colour of the t-shirt or adding a hat to a person without affecting the subject in the frame. Apart from this, the Mountain View-based tech giant announced two new formats for generating content: Explainer and Brief. * Explainer - Google says this creates a structured and comprehensive video based on the input sources for a more in-depth and higher level of understanding. * Brief - As the name suggests, Brief is a new bite-sized video format to quickly help learn about the core ideas of a document. Here's how you can give the new features a try and generate Video Overviews in NotebookLM: As per Google, the new features in Video Overviews will begin rolling out in all supported languages to Pro users this week. It will be expanded to all users in the near future.

Google updates NotebookLM with new features: How to use

Google's AI notebook evolves into a creative multimedia storytelling tool Google is pushing its AI research assistant NotebookLM into more creative territory. The latest update introduces new video overview formats and visual styles powered by Google's in-house "Nano Banana" image generation model, part of the Gemini 2.5 Flash suite. These upgrades transform NotebookLM from a text-based summarization tool into a more visual, expressive, and storytelling-oriented workspace, one that helps users turn research and notes into engaging multimedia summaries. Also read: Google's viral Nano Banana AI coming to Search, NotebookLM and Photos NotebookLM was initially launched as an experimental project to help users "think with their notes." It analyzes uploaded documents, transcripts, or links, and generates context-aware summaries or explanations. Over time, it has evolved into a full-fledged AI notebook capable not just of summarizing, but of connecting ideas and producing shareable content. The newest update expands that mission by adding two new video overview formats and a range of AI-generated visual styles, making it easier to personalize how information is presented. Until now, NotebookLM generated a single type of video overview: a standard AI-narrated summary based on your sources. With the update, users can now choose between two presentation formats - Brief and Explainer. By offering both, Google gives users more control over the depth of their AI-generated videos, depending on whether they need fast insight or a structured walkthrough. A standout addition is the integration of Google's Nano Banana image generation engine, a compact model derived from Gemini 2.5 Flash. It powers six new visual styles that completely change how NotebookLM's video summaries look and feel. The new styles are: Also read: What is MAI-Image-1: Microsoft's first in-house text-to-image generation AI model There's also an Auto-select option that lets the AI choose the most fitting style based on your content type. Together, these styles make NotebookLM feel more like a creative studio than a research tool. Google has also fine-tuned the interface. A pencil icon in the NotebookLM Studio panel now lets users edit overview settings directly. You can select a style, adjust pacing, or regenerate segments. A new prompt box lets you guide the AI's focus, for instance: "Summarize only from Source 2 and keep the tone conversational," or, "Make this an explainer with examples from the research paper." This level of customization helps users craft summaries that match their audience and intent, whether they're preparing lecture material or a project overview. Within minutes, you'll have an AI-narrated video complete with visuals, transitions, and structured narration ready to export or share. The new features are rolling out first to NotebookLM Pro subscribers and will reach free users in the coming weeks. Google says this staged release helps refine the experience and ensure quality across devices. With this update, Google is positioning NotebookLM not just as a research assistant but as a creative AI workspace, one that blends knowledge synthesis with visual storytelling. For educators, students, and content creators, these tools bridge the gap between raw information and engaging presentation. As AI assistants become more multimodal, NotebookLM's evolution shows where productivity is heading: from plain summaries to visually expressive, personalized, and shareable knowledge experiences.