Google has started rolling out a new "Learning Guide" feature within NotebookLM to all Workspace customers with access to NotebookLM.
In case you"re unaware, NotebookLM is Google"s Gemini-powered research and note-taking application that helps you synthesize and understand your own documents (PDFs, Google Slides/Docs, etc.).
The tool has been around since 2023, originally launching as "Project Tailwind," but it went viral last September when Google introduced "Audio Overviews," a feature that creates conversational, podcast-style summaries of your sources.
The "Learning Guide" feature now builds on that foundation, aiming to get users to think more critically about their materials instead of just getting a quick summary or a direct answer.
The feature might remind you of Study Mode, which OpenAI launched back in July for its ChatGPT service. Both tools function like a Socratic tutor, using questions to push you to figure things out for yourself rather than just consuming information.
The one key difference, of course, is that Google"s feature is hyper-focused and based on the content of the uploaded document, while Study Mode operates as a more general-purpose learning assistant for a wide range of academic subjects.
Google says Learning Guide will be available based on your organization"s admin console settings.
If you are a Workspace admin, you can manage access to NotebookLM through the Google Admin console. You will need the "Gemini Settings" administrator privilege to make changes. After signing in, you go to the main menu and navigate to Generative AI, then select NotebookLM. From there, you will find the "Service status" option.
You can turn the feature on or off for the entire organization by clicking "On for everyone" or "Off for everyone." For more specific control, you can select a particular organizational unit, like a department, and toggle its status.
If you change a setting for an organizational unit that inherits from a parent group, you will need to click "Override" to make your new setting stick. You can also use access groups to manage permissions for users across different departments. Just remember to click "Save" after making any adjustments.