Google's AI-powered research assistant, NotebookLM, is simply one of the best AI productivity tools there currently is. Period. Though it first started out as an experimental offering from Google Labs and had limited features like getting a quick summary of a Google Doc, asking questions about it without hallucinations (thanks to its source-grounded nature), and generating ideas for you, the tool's goal was to help people learn faster.

Fast forward to today, NotebookLM has a range of features designed to help you study and work quicker and smarter. This includes the ability to generate podcast-style discussions called Audio Overviews, Khan Academy-like Video Overviews, Mind Maps, and more.

Today, Google is expanding that set of features with its biggest update yet, and trust me on this: it’s about to completely change the way you study and work — and you need to try them out right away.

NotebookLM introduces flashcard and quizzes

As announced via a blog post on The Keyword, Google is adding multiple new features to NotebookLM, including flashcards, quizzes, redesigned reports, a Learning Guide mode, and more Featured Notebooks. That’s a lot to take in at once, so let’s quickly break down everything that’s new.

Flashcards and quizzes are two features that NotebookLM's own team has hinted at through recent X posts, and we've been expecting them for quite some time now. With the click of a button, NotebookLM can now turn any sources you've uploaded into flashcards and quizzes.

If you're a student who relies heavily on active recall and are tired of spending time manually creating practice sets, this feature is about to be a game-changer. Like all of NotebookLM’s features, flashcards and quizzes will be grounded entirely in the sources you've uploaded to your notebook.

You can also customize the topic for both features, set the difficulty level, and choose if you'd like to get fewer or more cards.

You also get new custom reports and a personal learning assistant

Next up, Google also announced redesigned reports, including a new Blog Post format and the ability to create custom formats. @TestingCatalog recently spotted this feature in the works, and it's even better than what they previewed.

When you hit the Reports button in the Studio panel, you'll be able to choose from four formats: Custom, Briefing Doc, Study Guide, and Blog Post. NotebookLM will also now "dynamically suggest [report] options based on the theme, topic, or industry mentioned in your sources."

NotebookLM is also getting a new "Learning Guide" option that works similarly to ChatGPT's Study Mode and Gemini's Guided Learning mode, and acts like a personal tutor. Instead of directly telling you an answer to a question when you ask it, the mode will help you break down problems step by step and adapt the explanations to your learning needs.

Finally, NotebookLM has partnered with OpenStax, the "leading provider of free, peer-reviewed textbooks," and has added new curated Featured Notebooks (which are essentially interactive, ready-to-use public NotebookLM notebooks). These include subjects that give students access to high-quality, trusted content right inside NotebookLM.

Flashcards, quizzes, and reports will start rolling out today and will expand to more users over the next week. Additionally, the Learning Guide option will begin rolling out to all users starting next week.