Google renames NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook

In short: Google is renaming its AI note-taking app NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook and tying it more closely to Gemini and Google Search.

What happened

Google says NotebookLM will soon be called Gemini Notebook. It will still be a standalone app, meaning you can use it on its own instead of only inside other Google products.

Google has been steadily adding features to the app since it first showed it in 2023, when it was called Project Tailwind. The app is meant to help you organize information you upload or write, like a smart notebook that can read your notes and help you make sense of them. Google has added options that turn notes into summaries, including audio that sounds like a podcast, plus narrated slideshows and short video clips.

Google also plans to bring your notebooks into “AI Mode” in Google Search. AI Mode is Google’s chat-style search experience, where you can ask questions in a back-and-forth way, more like texting than typing a single search.

Along with the new name, Google is rolling out a previously announced update that lets Gemini Notebook connect to a secure cloud computer. This lets it write and run code, which is like having a locked, online workbench for programming. Google says this feature is available now for Google AI Ultra subscribers and Workspace business customers, and it is coming to Pro users on the web over the next few weeks.

Why it matters

For everyday users, this change is mostly about simpler branding and easier access. If your notes can show up inside Gemini and Search, it may be quicker to ask questions about your own documents without switching apps.

Source: The Verge AI