Google has upgraded its AI-powered note-taking and research tool, NotebookLM, bringing in the latest Gemini 3.5 model along with new research capabilities and expanded output formats. The update rolls out to users in the coming days, the company said.
What the update includes
The core change is the integration of Gemini 3.5, which replaces the previous language model powering NotebookLM. That newer model typically improves reasoning and contextual understanding, though Google did not provide specific benchmarks for this release.
Alongside the model switch, the update adds research tools designed to help users find relevant information more quickly within their notebooks—for example, by surfacing related notes or suggesting connections between sources. The company also introduced advanced output formats, meaning users can now export their work in more structured ways, such as summaries, bullet lists, or formatted reports, rather than just raw text.
NotebookLM originally launched as a testbed for Google's AI research, aimed at people who work with multiple documents or complex notes. The addition of a more powerful model and refined tools suggests Google is pushing the product beyond experimental status. Users who rely on NotebookLM for synthesizing information from PDFs, web pages, or their own notes may see faster, more accurate results.
“This is a meaningful step forward for people who use NotebookLM as a daily tool,” said a product manager quoted in the announcement. “We’re trying to make the interaction between the user and their information feel more natural and productive.”
The new research tools could reduce the time spent manually digging through notebooks. The expanded output formats, meanwhile, let users tailor their exports for different audiences or platforms without extra editing.
How to get the upgrade
The updated NotebookLM is available to existing users through the web app and mobile versions. Google said the rollout will be gradual, so not everyone will see the changes immediately. New users can sign up for the service at notebooklm.google.com.
The company has not announced pricing changes; NotebookLM remains free for now, though Google has not ruled out a paid tier for advanced features in the future.
For power users, the biggest unresolved question is whether Gemini 3.5 will allow longer context windows or handle more source documents per notebook. Google did not address that in the update announcement, leaving those details for a later release note.
