AI Just Changed the Podcasting Game—Are You Ready? 🎧

Find out how to produce high-quality shows in minutes.

Author

Aaron Wu
October 24, 2024

In partnership with

Source: Google

"Hey Google, produce my next podcast episode."

Ahhh, that would be such a convenience wouldn’t it?

Well we are not quite there… BUT! We're getting surprisingly close.

Hey there! It’s Aaron.

Google's NotebookLM just launched a feature that turns your notes into ready-to-go podcast episodes, complete with AI hosts who actually sound like they've had their morning coffee.

And no, I'm not making this up.

Trust me, the results are so natural that your listeners won't even realize it's AI.

Here's what you can expect in today's Main Story Quest.

TL;DR

  • NotebookLM’s Audio Overview lets you turn your notes into natural-sounding podcast episodes with AI hosts.

  • It’s super easy to use—just upload your content, and the AI does the rest, engaging in a real conversation about your material.

  • Limitations exist, but the potential for creating fast, engaging podcasts without recording is game-changing for creators and podcasters alike.

Estimated reading time: 4-5 minutes.

MAIN STORY QUEST

Are AI Hosts Actually Becoming a Thing Now?

So, you're staring at your podcast to-do list… research notes scattered everywhere, script drafts gathering digital dust, and editing software giving you the evil eye.

Now imagine clicking a single button and poof—your messy notes transform into a flowing conversation between two hosts who actually sound like they know what they’re talking about.

Sounds like podcast magic, right?

Well, grab your headphones, because Google’s NotebookLM is handing out podcasts left and right with a mic-dropping feature called Audio Overview.

And no, this isn’t another “AI will revolutionize everything” story (we’ve all heard enough of those).

This is about turning your brilliant ideas into ACTUAL, engaging podcast episodes!

These AI hosts don’t just read your notes…

They have actual conversations about them.

They crack jokes. They make connections. They sound... well, human.

So human that your listeners might just think you've hired a production team (your secret’s safe with me).

In fact, check out this audio clip based on last Monday's issue.

What’s This Audio Thingamajig, Anyway?

Think of it as your personal podcast production team in a box.

You feed NotebookLM your content could be anything from your hastily scribbled notes to that 20-page research doc you’ve been avoiding.

And it spits out an engaging conversation between two AI hosts who actually sound interested in what they’re talking about.

The best part?

These AI hosts don’t just monotonously read your content—they break it down, make connections, and even throw in some casual banter.

It’s like having two really smart friends discuss your work over coffee, minus the coffee shop background noise.

Getting Started

Ready to give it a spin? Here’s the no-fluff guide:

1. Fire up NotebookLM and create a notebook (fancy word for “dump your stuff here”).

2. Upload your content (documents, articles, that manifesto you wrote at 3 AM).

3. Hit the magic Generate button and let the AI hosts do their thing.

Want to be a backseat director? You can!

Tell the AI hosts to focus on specific parts or dive deeper into certain topics.

It’s like having podcast interns who actually listen to you.

Why Should You Actually Care?

I don't know about you, but my mind was literally blown by the quality of the audio clip.

I see the potential of how we can use the tool as creators.

For content creators: Turn that monster blog post into a podcast episode without recording a single word.

For instructional designers: Make your course materials actually interesting (no offense to your current version).

For podcasters: Generate episode drafts faster than you can say “rate and subscribe.”

Plus, the voices actually sound human. Like, "wait, did they hire real people?" human.

No more robot-reading-a-grocery-list vibes.

It's Not Perfect (Yet)

Real talk? NotebookLM's Audio Overview isn’t flawless (shocking, I know).

Sometimes the AI hosts get a bit too creative with the facts (like they’ve had a few libations).

They’re currently stuck speaking English only (sorry, global creators).

And if you feed them a huge document, they might take their sweet time processing it.

Even after the audio is generated, the AI can actually have some slip-ups in certain sections.

Have a listen to this clip which was generated on my first attempt (the lead up to where it messed up was kind of hilarious!).

Talk about super powers, ‘amazing’ right?

But here’s the thing... even with these limitations, the potential is HUGE.

Imagine creating engaging podcast episodes that people will actually tune into, without spending hours recording and re-recording.

Not perfect yet? Sure.

Game-changing? Absolutely.

Just last year, I was telling myself it's going to take a while before AI can make expressive voiceovers for the mass market.

And look where we are now.

I can definitely see this tool helping with content creation for platforms like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube in the very near future.

Creative Deployment

Podcasting is booming, but creating high-quality content takes time. That’s where NotebookLM, taking care of the heavy lifting.

Let’s get practical. Here’s how different creators can use this tool:

Content Creators:

  • Turn your blog posts into instant podcast episodes.

  • Create audio versions of your newsletters (because who actually reads newsletters anymore? Just you 😏).

  • Test content ideas before committing to full production.

Instructional Designers:

  • Make learning materials that don’t put people to sleep.

  • Create audio study guides your students might actually use.

  • Turn boring documentation into engaging conversations.

Podcasters:

  • Generate episode structures in minutes.

  • Create quick pilot episodes to test concepts.

  • Batch-produce content without losing your voice (literally).

The Final Byte

Here’s the deal: NotebookLM is still finding its feet, but it’s already showing serious promise.

Is it going to replace human podcasters? Nah.

Is it going to make your life a whole lot easier? You bet your expensive microphone it will.

Some folks might get nervous about AI stepping into the creative space, but I see it more as a super-powered assistant than a replacement.

It’s like having a production team that works 24/7, never asks for coffee breaks, and doesn’t mind when you completely change direction mid-project.

So why not give NotebookLM a shot?

Who knows?

Your next hit podcast might be just a few clicks away(with the help of some surprisingly charming AI hosts).

See you in the next one,

P.S. If anyone from Google is reading this… any chance we can get these AI hosts to learn dad jokes? Asking for a friend...

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