3 min readNew DelhiJun 9, 2026 03:06 PM IST

Google has announced a major update for NotebookLM, its AI-powered research assistant, adding new features aimed at making research easier and more flexible. The update brings smarter chat features, more export options and a shift to Gemini 3.5 as the default AI model.

Until now, NotebookLM mainly required users to upload their own material before the platform could organise information or generate insights. However, with the latest update, users can start with just an idea or question and let NotebookLM help build a research base through chat.

Google said the tool can now suggest useful sources using its own research features and Google Search. This could help users find primary sources in different languages, discover related material or explore work from similar authors. However, users will still decide which sources are added to their notebooks.

The company also said NotebookLM now runs on Gemini 3.5 and includes software tools powered by Google’s Antigravity system. According to Google, each notebook now comes with a secure cloud-based system that can run code and help users carry out deeper research and analysis.

In addition, NotebookLM now supports more output formats. Users can give detailed instructions for the kind of content they want and edit the results after they are created.

The platform can now export files in several formats, including charts and visualisations such as PNG and SVG, documents like PDFs and DOCX files, structured data formats such as CSV and JSON, as well as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint files. Google has also added support for AI-generated images.

The update builds on NotebookLMs ‘Deep Research’ feature, introduced last year for structured online research. With the latest changes, the platform will also show users how it arrived at certain answers, making it easier to check and understand the results.

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​​Google said the features are rolling out globally on the web starting today for Google AI Ultra subscribers and Workspace business customers with AI Ultra Access and AI Expanded Access. The company plans to expand availability to more users over time.

(This article has been curated by Shivani P Menon, who is an intern with The Indian Express)