Google Rebrands NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook
Google is renaming its AI-powered note-taking tool NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, bringing it more closely into the company's broader Gemini ecosystem. The change reflects a deeper integration of the tool with Google's other services.
According to Josh Woodward, a vice president at Google, approximately 30 million people and 600,000 organizations currently use the tool. The new version introduces a feature that gives each notebook its own cloud-based computer capable of writing and running code. This capability will initially be available to AI Ultra and Workspace customers.
In internal comparisons conducted by Google, the new system outperformed its predecessor more than 65 percent of the time. For advanced web research tasks, that figure jumped to 78.2 percent. Google plans to roll out access to more users over the coming weeks.
Google Search Opens to Third-Party App Integration
Separately, Google Search is gaining a new app integration feature. Users have already been able to connect apps to the Gemini app, and now that functionality is coming to Search itself.
Starting this week in the United States, people can link apps such as Instacart, Canva, and YouTube Music through AI Mode and use them directly from Search. This means users can add ingredients to an Instacart shopping cart, pull up Canva templates, or build a playlist in YouTube Music without leaving the search interface.
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Google expects more partners to join the program in the future.
Background and Context
NotebookLM originally launched as a research and note-taking tool powered by Google's language models. The rebranding to Gemini Notebook aligns it with Google's broader Gemini family of AI products, which includes the Gemini app and various enterprise offerings. The move is part of Google's strategy to unify its AI tools under a single brand.
Google Search has been experimenting with AI-powered features for some time. The introduction of AI Mode earlier this year allowed users to get more conversational and contextual answers. The new app integration extends that capability by letting users take actions directly from search results.
The expansion of third-party integrations in Search could make the service more competitive with other AI assistants and search engines that already offer similar functionality. By allowing users to connect popular apps like Instacart, Canva, and YouTube Music, Google is aiming to make Search a more versatile platform for everyday tasks.