Google is making it easier than ever to explore new topics with AI. The company has just rolled out a major update to NotebookLM. Its AI-powered note-taking assistant, introducing a new “Discover” feature that enables the tool to find and summarize its own sources from the web — no uploads required.
Previously, users had to manually upload documents, links, or YouTube videos to give NotebookLM content to analyze. Now, users can simply type a topic description, hit “Discover,” and let NotebookLM automatically collect relevant web sources in seconds.
According to Google, the Discover tool scans “hundreds of potential web sources,” selecting up to 10 top matches based on their relevance to the topic. Each source is summarized and presented with a short description. Allowing users to preview and select which materials they want to use.
Once chosen, the sources are saved within the notebook, enabling users to reference them for:
- AI-powered summaries
- FAQ generation
- Briefing documents
- Podcast-style Audio Overviews narrated by AI hosts
In other words, NotebookLM is evolving into a full-fledged AI research assistant. One that doesn’t just answer questions, but also finds its own reference material.
Google says the Discover update began rolling out this week and will reach all users within “about a week or so.”
The new feature is powered by Google’s Gemini AI model. Which underpins many of the latest AI features across the company’s tools. Discover is part of a broader effort to make NotebookLM smarter, more autonomous, and easier to use. Especially for students, researchers, and content creators.
Alongside Discover, Google is introducing a playful addition called “I’m Feeling Curious.” This button prompts NotebookLM to generate a completely random topic, pulling in interesting sources to explore. Similar to Wikipedia’s random article button. It’s designed to show off the tool’s research abilities, while encouraging curiosity-driven learning.
A GIF shared by Google shows the user entering a topic like “deep sea ecosystems,” then watching as NotebookLM automatically curates a list of sources with clear summaries. No uploading or link hunting necessary.
With this update, Google is taking NotebookLM closer to becoming a personal AI research companion, capable of independently gathering, summarizing, and narrating information from the web. By cutting down the time users spend collecting sources, it lets them focus on learning, writing, and idea generation.
And with more Gemini-powered features on the way, NotebookLM could soon become a central hub for students, educators, journalists, and lifelong learners looking for an intuitive way to manage information.
If you’ve ever wished your AI assistant could “just go do the research for you,” NotebookLM’s new Discover mode might be your new favorite feature.
