Google’s NotebookLM has added a new dimension to its AI-powered analysis instrument, becoming a member of its Audio Overviews and AI-produced ‘podcasts’ with digital hosts discussing data you add to the platform. NotebookLM can now make a video presentation as effectively. The new Video Overviews solely have one AI speaker, but the artificial voice is accompanied by a sequence of slides that embrace textual content and illustrations.
The thought is for the AI to digest and clarify no matter chaotic assortment of educational papers, weblog posts, and YouTube movies you have got on a topic. Rather then making you learn by all of it, you may generate a narrated video abstract. It is fairly simple to do. You simply must add your sources as ordinary, then click on on the new Video Overview button. Shortly, a video of roughly seven minutes is prepared so that you can share, obtain, or use as you would like.
I determined to try it out on two subjects from reverse ends of the cultural spectrum. I first put collectively articles and ebook excerpts concerning the nightmarish whimsy of medieval painter Hieronymus Bosch. For the opposite, I gathered loads of on-line web sites about my favourite anarchic British panel present, Taskmaster.
Bosch
The Bosch video grasped the broad strokes of Bosch’s work and conveyed the principle historic takeaways clearly. It guided me by a lot of his life and did a deep dive into his most well-known work, The Backyard of Earthly Delights, and prompt how the triptych format would possibly characterize an ethical journey. There was loads of curiosity within the quotes and condensed data.
Nonetheless, what was notably lacking from a presentation a few well-known painter was a lot of his precise artwork. One tiny picture and a few clip artwork representations, there was nothing there. And whereas the AI speaker had lots to say, the wild and overwhelming work of Bosch wanted to be seen, and in a video presentation, its absence was evident.
Taskmaster
The Taskmaster video was equally crammed with a number of nice data, and, whereas it is likely to be imaginary, the AI voice sounded extra enthusiastic when discussing the present. But, once more, a timeline and listing of memorable moments do not imply a lot with out at the least a screengrab or two from the TV present, which is filled with eye-catching visuals.
As exhausting because it was to think about, the visuals really made the dialogue of Taskmaster much less fascinating than simply listening to the narrator. To not point out the weird alternative of a pie chart of various Taskmaster merchandise.
Slide snooze
A number of the points is likely to be as a result of I wanted to jot down higher, particular prompts for the movies. And, to be honest, they might each work to assist educate anybody on a subject, offered they need not see what’s being mentioned. There’s potential right here for onboarding presentations, explainer movies, and even academic content material in the proper setting.
I’d must check out extra subjects and prompts to see if the Video Overviews can dwell up to the promise of customized illustrations and pulled imagery. That stated, the customization choices give it room to develop. You’ll be able to tailor your immediate with particular targets, audiences, and tones, which suggests you possibly can, theoretically, get a wonderfully thrilling and hair-raising information to Bosch’s imaginative and prescient of hell.
The bones are there. And with future format choices teased by Google, it’s attainable that NotebookLM would possibly finally broaden past slideshows into one thing extra dynamic.
Till then, Video Overviews really feel just like the AI equal of dry toast. Perhaps you want it when there’s nothing else and it is simple to make, but not one thing you’d eagerly present to mates. Nonetheless, for a fast, visible information constituted of your individual paperwork, you possibly can do worse. But perhaps simply hold them a non-public examine instrument.
