機械翻訳 / Machine-translated
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What you'll learn in this article
NotebookLM is a free AI research tool developed by Google. LM stands for Language Model — an AI that can understand and respond to text much like a human would.
It launched in the summer of 2023, and Japanese language support was added in June 2024. When you upload PDFs, videos, audio files, and other materials, the AI reads and understands the content, then summarizes it or answers your questions.
Its defining feature is that it generates responses using only the materials you upload. Unlike general AI chat tools, it functions like a dedicated AI tailored specifically to your own documents.
Anyone with a Google account can use it for free, and it's widely used by everyone from students to business professionals.
NotebookLM offers a variety of useful features to streamline research and learning. Here are five of its key capabilities.
1. Document Summarization and Analysis
It can summarize long documents such as academic papers and reports in a short amount of time. It can also extract key points and explain content in plain, easy-to-understand language.
2. Q&A via Chat
You can freely converse with the AI about the materials you've uploaded. You can ask things like "Tell me more about this part" or "Give me a specific example," and you can adjust the length and style of responses.
3. Audio Overviews
Two AI voices read through your material in a conversational dialogue format.
It feels like listening to a radio program, making the content engaging and easy to absorb.
You can learn during your commute or while doing household chores.
4. Video Overviews
This is a new feature added in August 2025.
It automatically generates an animated explainer video based on the documents you upload.
It supports over 80 languages, including Japanese.
5. Automatic Slide and Quiz Generation
It can automatically create presentation slides for you.
It can also generate flashcards and quizzes for studying, which are great for review.
Your progress is saved, so you can pick up right where you left off.
Using NotebookLM is very straightforward. Even beginners can get started in just five minutes.
Step 1: Access the Site
Go to https://notebooklm.google.com.
Sign in with your Google account.
If you don't have an account, you can create one for free.
Step 2: Create a Notebook
Click the "New Notebook" button.
A notebook is a dedicated space where your materials and conversations are saved.
You can upload up to 50 sources per notebook.
Step 3: Upload Your Materials
You can add a wide variety of source types, including PDF files, Google Docs, websites, and YouTube videos. Simply drag and drop your files to upload them with ease.
Step 4: Ask the AI Questions
Type your question into the chat box at the bottom of the screen.
Try asking things like "Summarize this material in three sentences" or "What are the key points?"
The AI will respond based on the content of your uploaded materials.
Step 5: Explore the Features
Try out features like Audio Overviews and slide generation.
You can access them from the panel on the right side of the screen.
Generated content is saved and can be reviewed at any time.
NotebookLM has both strengths and limitations worth knowing about.
Pros
Cons
NotebookLM is especially well-suited for the following types of people.
On the other hand, if you want to ask general questions or chat with an AI without any uploaded materials, ChatGPT or Gemini may be a better fit.
NotebookLM is a powerful ally for anyone who needs to read through large amounts of material for study or work. Start by trying the free plan and find the approach that works best for you.
This article is a cross-post from AI Friends.
