Creat a Podcast With AI

Podcast Production with NotebookLM — Complete Course (with Google AI Studio Tutor)

1) What NotebookLM is (and why it’s perfect for podcasts)

NotebookLM is Google’s AI research & writing workspace. You upload sources (Google Docs/Slides, PDFs, web links, YouTube URLs, audio files, pasted text), and NotebookLM becomes an expert on your material. It can then generate Audio Overviews—a two-host, podcast-style conversation that explains or debates your sources. It’s designed for learning, synthesis, and storytelling, not for scraping the open web. (Google NotebookLM)

Newer updates add multiple audio formats (Deep Dive, Brief, Critique, Debate), and support for 80+ languages—so your “podcast” can be long, short, argumentative, or concise in the language you need. (Android Central)

Important: Audio Overviews reflect only the sources you upload—they are not a neutral or comprehensive take on a topic. You remain the editor-in-chief. (blog.google)

2) Find it and set up

  • Search “NotebookLM” and open notebooklm.google.com.

  • Log in with your Google account.

  • Keep Google AI Studio open in another tab. Start a chat, click Share screen, and select your NotebookLM tab so the Tutor can coach you while you work. (Google NotebookLM)

3) Your first podcast in 10 minutes (the “Audio Overview” method)

  1. Create a notebook → click New Notebook.

  2. Add sources → click Add sources and attach your material: Docs, PDFs, URLs, Slides, YouTube links, audio, or pasted text. (NotebookLM supports large inputs—per Google support, up to 200 MB per file or ~500k words per source.) (Google Workspace)

  3. Generate the audio → open the Notebook Guide / Studio panel and click Generate Audio Overview. (blog.google)

  4. Pick a format → Deep Dive, Brief, Critique, or Debate to set tone and length. (Great for turning dense notes into a lively show.) (Android Central)

  5. Share or download → use the Share options (link or whole notebook) or Download the audio file for editing/publishing. (Google Help)

What your Tutor can do right now
Say: “Craft a 60-sec Brief overview script of my sources with 3 key takeaways and a witty closing line,” or “Turn this into a Debate with clear pro vs. con positions.” The Tutor will rewrite, re-angle, and suggest the best format and language.

4) Three proven podcast workflows

A) “One-click pod” (fastest)

  • Upload sources → Generate Deep Dive or Brief Audio Overview → Download → Add intro/outro music in your DAW → Publish.

  • Best for: updates, study summaries, internal comms. (blog.google)

B) “Hybrid host” (editorial control)

  • Use NotebookLM to outline the episode and generate segment Audio Overviews (e.g., “Segment 1: Background”, “Segment 2: Debate”).

  • Record your own host links (or use a TTS/voice clone) and interleave with the NotebookLM audio in your editor.

  • Best for: branded shows, thought leadership, courses.

C) “Multilingual release”

  • Ask the Tutor to adapt your show notes into Spanish/French/etc., then generate Audio Overviews in those languages.

  • Publish multi-language episode variants or feed clips to regional channels. (New formats support 80+ languages.) (Android Central)

5) Using Google AI Studio as your producer

Stay in screen-share and ask the Tutor to:

  • Design your series: titles, show positioning, audience promise, episode calendar.

  • Outline an episode from your sources with segment beats (hook → context → insights → actions).

  • Write host scripts (open, teases, transitions, wrap/CTA).

  • Localize & simplify: adapt for different markets or for plain-language accessibility.

  • Fact-checks (source-aware): “List citations for every claim in Segment 2 from my sources.”

  • Quality control: “Shorten to 12 minutes; remove jargon; add one analogy per segment.”

6) Editorial best practices for great NotebookLM audio

  • Curate sources with intention: pick 3–8 strong sources that align; avoid duplicates.

  • Name your files clearly so quotes are easy to cite in show notes.

  • Pre-brief the AI: add a short “editor’s note” Doc with desired tone, audience, and must-hit points—include it as a source.

  • Pick the right audio format:

    • Deep Dive for narrative depth

    • Brief for newsy updates

    • Critique for review/feedback episodes

    • Debate for two-sided explorations (Android Central)

  • Always listen end-to-end and prune factual drift; Audio Overviews mirror your sources but you’re the final editor. (blog.google)

7) Post-production & publishing

  1. Download your Audio Overview (More menu → Download). If the UI crowding hides the button, zoom out or open the three-dot menu beside the audio card. (Google Help)

  2. Polish in an editor (Audacity/Descript/DAW). Top moves: trim silences, level loudness, EQ voice, duck music under speech.

  3. Add music/SFX: create stingers and beds in Udio (or your library).

  4. Show notes: ask NotebookLM (or your Tutor) to:

    • produce a summary, pull-quotes, timestamps, and a sources list with links

    • generate episode art prompts you can render elsewhere

  5. Publish: upload MP3 and notes to a host (e.g., Spotify for Podcasters/Anchor, Buzzsprout, Libsyn) to generate your RSS feed.

  6. Repurpose: use NotebookLM’s “Reports” (blog post, study guide, flashcards) to spin the same research into companion content. (The Verge)

8) Advanced series design

  • Serial course: one notebook per module; each episode = one Deep Dive + a short Brief recap minisode.

  • Panel show: feed mixed sources from different viewpoints; run Debate to surface opposing arguments; record your human roundtable reacting to it. (TechRadar)

  • Book companion: upload chapters/notes; generate chapter-by-chapter Briefs and a season finale Critique episode. (Android Central)

  • Research digest: drop fresh PDFs/links weekly; NotebookLM produces a Brief roundup; you add human context and calls to action.

9) Source-building playbook (what to upload)

  • Your scripts, memos, slides, newsletters, PDFs, blog drafts

  • Public URLs & YouTube links for material you’re discussing

  • Audio files (interviews, lectures) that need summarizing within the notebook context

  • Keep within support limits (file size/word count) and organize by episode or theme. (Google Workspace)

10) Quality checklist before you publish

  • Sources vetted & aligned with your episode angle

  • Format chosen (Brief/Deep Dive/Critique/Debate)

  • Audio Overview generated and fully reviewed

  • Human intro/outro recorded (or TTS/voice clone)

  • Music/SFX added tastefully; loudness normalized

  • Show notes include citations to your NotebookLM sources

  • Episode art and metadata done

  • Multilingual versions queued if needed

11) Troubleshooting

  • No download button? Use the audio card’s ⋯ menu or zoom out; otherwise regenerate and try again. (Known UI quirk.) (Google Help)

  • Too generic? Add a tight “editor’s note” source specifying tone, audience, and must-cover points; reduce the number of sources; switch to Critique for sharper takes. (Android Central)

  • Too long/short? Pick Brief for 1–2-minute capsules, Deep Dive for long-form. (TechRadar)

  • Language/market fit: ask the Tutor to localize idioms and examples, then regenerate in that language (80+ supported). (Android Central)

12) Example production sprint (90 minutes)

  1. Plan (10 min): Tell your Tutor the goal; it drafts a 4-segment outline and CTA.

  2. Sources (15 min): Drop PDFs/Docs/URLs; add a 1-page editorial brief as a source. (Google Workspace)

  3. Generate (10 min): Create Deep Dive Audio Overview + a Brief teaser. (blog.google)

  4. Host links (15 min): Record your intro/outro; or synthesize with your voice clone.

  5. Edit (25 min): Trim, level, add a short music bed.

  6. Notes (10 min): Ask NotebookLM/Tutor for summary, timestamps, citations, and social posts. (The Verge)

  7. Publish (5 min): Upload MP3 + notes to your podcast host.

Bottom line

NotebookLM turns your research into ready-to-listen, podcast-style audio in minutes. Use Audio Overviews for the core conversation, let Google AI Studio act as your producer for structure and scripts, and finish in your editor for polish. With the new Brief/Critique/Debate formats and 80+ languages, you can deliver snackable updates, deep dives, or lively argument shows—fast. (Android Central)