Google NotebookLM Adds AI Podcast Support for More Languages
▼ Summary
– Google’s NotebookLM has expanded its Audio Overviews feature to support 76 additional languages, enabling users to create AI-generated podcasts in their native languages.
– The update includes an “Output Language” selector, allowing audio content to be generated in any supported language, which benefits educators, researchers, and professionals working with multilingual resources.
– This feature facilitates cross-language collaboration, helping students and professionals process materials in various languages and receive coherent audio summaries in their preferred language.
– The expanded language support includes major global languages and regional dialects, such as Danish, Greek, Bengali, Korean, Arabic, Swahili, and Afrikaans, allowing users to switch languages on demand.
– NotebookLM remains free to use, with Google focusing on inclusive AI tools that adapt to diverse linguistic needs, enhancing multilingual education and professional workflows.
Google’s NotebookLM has significantly expanded its AI-powered Audio Overviews feature, now supporting an impressive 76 additional languages. This enhancement gives users worldwide the ability to transform documents into AI-generated podcasts in their native tongue, making information more accessible than ever before.
Originally launched last year, Audio Overviews let users convert uploaded materials—from academic papers to legal documents—into digestible audio summaries narrated by virtual hosts. The latest update introduces an “Output Language” selector, allowing content to be generated in any supported language regardless of the account’s default settings. This flexibility is particularly useful for educators, researchers, and professionals working with multilingual resources.
Imagine a history professor compiling sources in French, German, and Mandarin for an international class. Students can now process these materials through NotebookLM and receive a coherent audio summary in their preferred language. Google highlights this as a breakthrough for cross-language collaboration, eliminating barriers for non-native speakers or those learning new subjects.
The expanded language roster covers major global tongues alongside regional dialects, including:
- European languages like Danish, Greek, and Icelandic
- Asian languages such as Bengali, Korean, and Thai
- Middle Eastern options including Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian
- African languages like Swahili and Afrikaans
Users can switch languages on demand, making it simple to repurpose content for different audiences. A marketing team, for instance, could generate product briefings in Spanish for one region and Japanese for another without manual translation.
This update reflects Google’s push toward inclusive AI tools that adapt to diverse linguistic needs. While the feature currently focuses on document-to-audio conversion, its expanding capabilities suggest broader applications for multilingual education and professional workflows.
For now, NotebookLM remains free to use, though Google hasn’t confirmed whether monetization plans exist for these advanced features. The service continues to distinguish itself from competitors by blending AI summarization with user-controlled customization—a combination increasingly valuable in our information-saturated world.
(Source: TechCrunch)
