NotebookLM, one of Google's most impactful and transformative AI tools, has become more accessible. Today, Google Labs announced that Audio Overviews—a popular feature turning documents into engaging podcast-style summaries—is now available in over 50 languages.
Key highlights:
- Google has expanded NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews to support over 50 languages, powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro.
- Users can select their preferred output language in the settings, which applies to both audio and chat responses.
- This functionality enhances cross-language learning, enabling users to comprehend content from multiple language sources.
Audio Overviews were first introduced last year and quickly gained popularity. The feature offers a simple yet effective solution: a natural way to synthesize and engage with dense material without staring at a screen. Instead of merely converting text to speech, Audio Overviews create conversational exchanges between AI hosts who summarize, explain, and connect key concepts from the source material. Many users find this format more engaging and memorable than traditional text-based summaries.
With the support of Gemini 2.5 Pro, these AI-generated summaries now sound even more natural and, importantly, can communicate with you in your chosen language—whether it’s Afrikaans, Hindi, or Turkish.
NotebookLM now includes a new "Output Language" setting, allowing users to seamlessly switch the language of audio and text responses on the fly. In hindsight, this feature seems obvious, but it remains surprisingly rare among today’s AI products.
For educators, this expansion opens up powerful new possibilities. For instance, a teacher preparing a lesson on the Amazon rainforest can now integrate resources in multiple languages, such as Portuguese documentaries, Spanish research papers, and English reports. Students can then generate audio overviews in their preferred language, effectively breaking down language barriers that might otherwise limit access to information.
