Google has recently announced a significant update to its AI-powered note-taking platform, NotebookLM, expanding its Video Overviews feature to support 80 languages worldwide. This development, revealed on August 25, 2025, marks a major step toward making educational and research tools more accessible to a global audience. Alongside this, Google has enhanced its Audio Overviews, particularly for non-English languages, to provide more comprehensive and detailed summaries. These updates are designed to cater to students, researchers, and professionals who rely on NotebookLM to distill complex information into digestible formats.
Introduced last month, NotebookLM’s Video Overviews feature transforms user-uploaded notes, PDFs, and images into concise, AI-narrated video presentations. These presentations incorporate visuals such as images, diagrams, quotes, and data to simplify complex topics. Initially available only in English, the feature now supports a diverse range of languages, including French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, and several Indian regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. This expansion allows non-English speakers to generate visual summaries in their native languages, broadening the platform’s reach and utility.
The update also enhances NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews, which previously offered only brief summaries in non-English languages. Now, users can access full-length audio discussions in over 80 languages, matching the depth and nuance of the English versions. For those who prefer quick insights, shorter summary options remain available. This flexibility ensures that users can choose between in-depth explorations or concise highlights, depending on their needs. The updates are rolling out globally and will be fully available to all users within a week.
NotebookLM’s multilingual expansion is particularly significant for global learners. Students preparing for exams can now review lecture notes in their preferred language, while researchers can generate summaries of dense academic papers in languages like Portuguese or Russian. Professionals in multilingual teams can share AI-generated video or audio summaries, streamlining collaboration across linguistic boundaries. By grounding summaries in user-uploaded content, NotebookLM ensures accuracy and relevance, distinguishing it from generic AI tools that rely on web-based data.
To use the Video Overviews feature, users can upload their sources to a notebook, select the Video Overview option in the Studio panel, and customize the output language or focus via prompts. The process is intuitive, making it accessible to users with varying technical expertise. Google’s commitment to inclusivity through this update aligns with its broader mission to make information universally accessible.
This expansion positions NotebookLM as a powerful tool for global education and research. By supporting 80 languages, Google is breaking down language barriers, enabling users worldwide to engage with complex material in a more engaging and understandable format. As the platform continues to evolve, it promises to further empower learners and professionals in diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.
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