Google folds NotebookLM into Gemini
Google began integrating NotebookLM’s project‑style features — like audio overviews and slide‑deck generation — into Gemini, and it’s rolling Gemini Notebooks out as a workspace for chats, files and research. Separately, Google is widening developer access by making free Gemini API keys available and is deploying Gemini shopping upgrades in India. (geeky-gadgets.com) (makeuseof.com) (storyboard18.com)
Google is folding NotebookLM’s project-style tools into Gemini and rolling out Notebooks as an integrated workspace for chats, files and research. (blog.google) The company announced Notebooks on April 8, 2026, and said Google AI Ultra, Pro and Plus subscribers on the web would get access that week. (blog.google) Notebooks let users attach chats, files and custom instructions to a project and sync with NotebookLM so features such as Video Overviews, Infographics and slide-deck generation are available across both apps. (blog.google) Google first added NotebookLM as a source inside the Gemini app on January 27, 2026, and the new Notebooks formalize that integration into a persistent project hub. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com) Separately, developers can create free Gemini API keys via Google AI Studio without setting up billing, a step guides and outlets flagged as available immediately for testing and small projects. (makeuseof.com) Google said it is also rolling Gemini-powered shopping upgrades in India that embed Gemini models into Search and the Shopping Graph, which Google describes as indexing about 50 billion products with two billion updates per hour. (blog.google) NotebookLM’s multimedia capabilities predate the Gemini move: Google rolled out Audio Overviews, Video Overviews and Studio upgrades last year to let users generate narrated explainer videos and exportable slide decks from uploaded sources. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com) Google said it will expand Notebooks to more users soon and that syncing across Gemini and NotebookLM will let people carry project assets and outputs between the two apps. (blog.google)
