It's 2026, and if you're still trying to learn anything (exam prep, coursework, a new skill, whatever) the way you did even a couple of years ago, I have just one thing to tell you: you're doing it wrong. While there isn't a single right way to learn by definition, if you're not incorporating AI into your study process in the big 2026, you're basically choosing the slow lane. The founder of TLDW (now LongCut) explained this perfectly in the title alone of an article she shared on X: To learn anything, first unlearn school.
Alongside writing, I'm a full-time student, and I'm always looking for ways to study smarter. Nowadays, that obviously involves AI in one way or another. The first tool I really experimented with for studying was NotebookLM. Over two years later, it's still the tool that's changed how I study -- and it's all thanks to its Audio Overviews feature.
So... what exactly are NotebookLM's Audio Overviews?
The tool's viral feature everyone keeps talking about
Given Audio Overviews is NotebookLM's most viral feature, I'm sure you've already given it a spin if you've tried out a tool. If not, Audio Overviews is a feature Google introduced in September 2024, and it allows you to turn any sources you upload (documents, webpages, YouTube videos, pasted text, audio files, spreadsheets, etc.) into engaging audio discussions. These discussions are structured in a podcast format, where a male and female host discuss your sources in a conversational way.
One thing Google seems to have been focusing on with this feature since it added it is making the conversations sound natural. The way they've achieved this is by making the hosts sound very, very natural. The voices of the hosts don't have that "AI" robotic sound, and they include the little imperfections that make human speech feel real. Throughout the podcast, you'll hear the occasional "um" or "like," the banter, and even the hosts interrupting each other or finishing each other's sentences.
Audio Overviews let me learn passively
Exactly in the way I learn best
I've always been a good listener. I have my AirPods in practically 24/7, and I'm always either listening to music or podcasts. Over time, I've found myself preferring the latter simply because it allows me to learn something new even when I'm not actively trying to. Whether I'm commuting, walking around campus, or just making myself a cup of coffee, having information delivered through audio has always felt effortless.
Instead of feeling like you're forcing yourself to sit down and study or actively learn (which admittedly feels like a chore more often than not), it just happens in the background and blends into whatever I'm doing at the moment. This is precisely why NotebookLM's Audio Overviews feature fits so perfectly into the way I learn. Instead of listening to a random podcast (which don't get me wrong, I still do), NotebookLM lets me generate custom podcasts specifically tailored to the exact material I actually need to consume right now.
For instance, as I'm writing this, I have a final exam in a little over 24 hours from now. Once I'm done with this piece, I'll hop on my walking pad and get my 10k steps in. Typically, I'd throw on a random podcast or listen to some energetic music to get me in the mood. But today, I'll generate an Audio Overview of all my notes for the final tomorrow and listen to that instead. It's the exact same habit and effectively the same "background noise." But this time, it's actually helping me revise.
It warms up your brain before you even start studying
The secret to making hard topics feel lighter
Even if you aren't currently a student, you likely remember the feeling of sitting in a class completely lost. You're listening to what the professor is saying closely, attempting to absorb it all, but the concepts just won't...click. But when you go back and sit down to study the same material later at your own pace, you finally begin to understand it. In addition to understanding the content, you're also able to connect what you vaguely remember your professor saying to the material you're reviewing.
Even though you were completely clueless in class, that initial exposure acted as a trailer and gave your brain a rough outline (even if it felt useless at the moment). Your brain had already registered the vocabulary and the general flow of the logic, so when you reviewed it later, you weren't building a mental model from scratch. Instead, you were just filling in the details.
NotebookLM's Audio Overviews work in a similar way. They give you that first exposure without the pressure of needing to understand everything immediately. You hear the key concepts, the structure, the terminology, and the general narrative before ever opening the actual document. So when you finally sit down to read it properly, your brain isn't scrambling to decode what's going on.
The best part is you can make each podcast your own
You're in control, always
NotebookLM's biggest strength is just how customizable it is now. Instead of directly generating an Audio Overview once you've dumped all your documents, you can fine-tune what you would like the podcast to focus on. In September 2025, Google added three new Audio Overview formats: Brief, Critique, and Debate, in addition to the Deep Dive format, which has been there since day one. All four of these formats give you distinct lenses to view your information through.
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Deep Dive is great for getting the big picture of your sources, while Brief is perfect for when you'd like a super quick summary of your sources when you're rushing somewhere. Debate is an incredible format for when you're studying something where different perspectives matter. It frames your sources as if two people are arguing the points, highlighting contrasts and prompting you to think critically. Critique, on the other hand, is perfect for evaluating arguments, spotting flaws, and understanding strengths and weaknesses in your material.
Together, these formats give you flexible ways to approach your notes depending on your goal. There's also a What should the AI hosts focus on in this episode textbox, where you can nudge the hosts to focus on a specific source, topic, or audience. All this customization lets you tailor each episode to your needs and shape it to your learning style.
4 ways I use NotebookLM outside of work (and I wouldn't have it any other way)
It's part of my daily life now.
Posts 3
By Mahnoor Faisal
I can't imagine studying without this feature
With how packed my schedule is, I'm always looking for ways to study smarter. NotebookLM's Audio Overviews is one of the only features that's helped me do that meaningfully, and it's become a non-negotiable part of my routine.
