Turn Your Notes into a Podcast with AI in Minutes

TLDR:Google’s NotebookLM now has a feature that can take almost any set of notes from a school lecture, a community meeting, or even a personal journal entry and turn it into a short, easy-to-listen-to podcast. Two AI voices discuss the content as if they were co-hosts, highlighting the important parts and making it more engaging. You don’t need microphones, editing software, or any technical skills to make it work.

What NotebookLM Is and How it Works

Think of NotebookLM as a digital notebook that doesn’t just store your information, it can also explain it back to you in different ways. You upload your own content : anything from a typed document to a PDF and NotebookLM can summarise it, answer questions about it, or now, turn it into audio.

The new Audio Overview feature takes the text you provide and creates a short conversation between two AI-generated voices. Instead of just reading your notes word-for-word, the voices talk about them, explain the ideas in plain language, and make connections between points. It’s like listening to two people have a quick, informative chat about what’s in your document.

How to Turn Notes into a Podcast Episode

1. Choose your notes
   This could be anything you want people to understand better — meeting minutes, lesson notes, a list of community announcements, or even your own reflections on a topic.
   
2. Upload them into NotebookLM
   Create a new notebook and give it a name so you can find it later. Upload your notes file — Google Docs, PDFs, and other common formats work fine.
   
3. Ask for the Audio Overview
   Once your notes are in, select the Audio Overview option. NotebookLM will create a short podcast-style discussion based on your text.
   
4. Listen and adjust if needed
   Play it through to check it makes sense and sounds right. If something feels off, edit your notes and generate the audio again.
   
5. Share it
   Download the audio file and post it wherever your audience will see it — a group chat, a newsletter, a website, or social media.
    

A Real Example

A local sports club has a monthly committee meeting. Usually, the secretary sends out a long email with all the updates. Many members never read it in full. With NotebookLM, the secretary uploads the meeting notes and generates a three-minute audio overview. The voices talk through the main decisions, the upcoming events, and any changes people need to know. The file goes out in the club’s WhatsApp group. Members can listen on the way to work and stay up to date without having to read a long email.

Why This Helps

• It’s quicker to create — no need to record yourself or edit audio.
  
• It’s easier to consume — people can listen while doing something else.
  
• It makes information stick — a conversation is more memorable than a block of text.
  
• It widens access — people who don’t like reading or have difficulty with text can still get the information.
   

  FAQ

Q: Do I need special equipment to do this?
No. You just need a computer or phone that can access NotebookLM and your notes in a file format it can read.

Q: Will the AI change my words?
It might rephrase them in conversation style, but it stays true to your content. If something is too far off, adjust your notes and try again.

Q: How long should my notes be?
A page or two works well for a short episode. Longer content will be summarised.

Q: Is it safe to upload my notes?
If your notes contain private or sensitive information, keep the audio for personal or internal use. Don’t share files publicly unless you’re happy for others to hear the content.

If you want to start using AI tools like this to create shareable content quickly,  whether it’s audio, summaries, or other formats — our AI 5-Day Bootcamp will show you how to set them up, choose the right ones for your needs, and use them confidently without technical experience.