NotebookLM launches "Deep Research" tool to automate online research and reports

Google is updating NotebookLM, its AI note-taking and research assistant, by introducing a new tool designed to simplify complex research and support additional file types. This tool, called “Deep Research,” aims to automate and streamline the online research process.

“Deep Research” functions like a dedicated research assistant, capable of synthesizing detailed reports and recommending relevant articles, papers, or websites. You can pose a question to “Deep Research,” which will then create a research plan and browse the internet on your behalf.

After a few minutes, it presents you with a well-sourced report that can be directly added to your notebook. While “Deep Research” conducts its search in the background, you can continue to gather other sources at the same time.

The goal of “Deep Research” is to help you build a comprehensive and organized knowledge base on a specific topic without interrupting your workflow.

You can access “Deep Research” by initiating a search in the source panel and selecting “Web” as a source. Then, you can pick your research style. You can select “Deep Research” when you’re looking for a full briefing and in-depth analysis. Or, you can choose “Fast Research” if you want a brisk search.

As for the additional support for more file types, you can now upload Google Sheets, Drive files as URLs, PDFs from Google Drive, and Microsoft Word Documents. Google says this change will enable users to perform tasks such as generating summaries from spreadsheets and quickly copy-pasting multiple Drive files as URLs.

According to Google, these new NotebookLM updates will be available to all users within a week.

Google has consistently enhanced NotebookLM since its late 2023 launch by adding new features. This year, the company introduced Video Overviews, allowing users to transform complex multimedia, including raw notes, PDFs, and images, into easy-to-understand visual presentations.

This feature complements the existing Audio Overviews, which can generate an AI-powered podcast from shared documents like course materials or legal briefs.

Furthermore, Google expanded NotebookLM’s accessibility in May by releasing dedicated Android and iOS apps, moving the service beyond its initial desktop-only availability.