NotebookLM, Google’s AI-powered research and learning tool, is adding expert source topics in a bid to become a more capable platform for exploring complex concepts. Originally designed to help users engage with and gain insight into their documents, NotebookLM now includes Featured Notebooks, expert-curated collections for users to ask specific questions to its AI model. The collections draw their information from specific sources.
Google cribs NotebookLM
These notebooks are created in collaboration with notable authors, researchers, and institutions. They cover a range of subjects—from science and finance to literature and parenting. The initial collection lineup includes:
- Longevity tips from Eric Topol, author of Super Agers.
- The World Ahead 2025 insights from The Economist.
- Life advice from Arthur C. Brooks’ “How to Build A Life” Atlantic columns.
- A Yellowstone National Park science and travel guide.
- Global well-being trends from the University of Oxford-affiliated Our World In Data.
- Research-based parenting insights from psychologist Jacqueline Nesi’s Techno Sapiens substack.
- The Complete Works of Shakespeare, for students and scholars.
- A Q1 earnings summary of the top 50 global public companies.
Each featured notebook leverages NotebookLM’s AI capabilities. Users can ask questions, receive AI-generated summaries with citations, listen to audio overviews, or visually explore content through mind maps, while staying within the purview of a specific source. Like adding AI to an encyclopedia. Does it make things easier? Yes. Is that always a good thing? Well, that remains to be seen.
This expansion follows last month’s launch of public notebook sharing, which has already led to the creation of over 140,000 public notebooks on various topics. With both public sharing and curated featured notebooks, NotebookLM hopes to shift from a private research tool to a collaborative platform for shared, quality information. Featured notebooks are now rolling out to desktop users, with rollouts to other devices pending.
