ChatGPT might be my go-to AI product for most things that require generative artificial intelligence tools, but it still lacks a feature only Gemini can offer. That’s the Audio Overviews feature that Google brought to Gemini from NotebookLM.
What’s brilliant about it is that Google can turn any research project into a podcast with the help of the Audio Overviews feature. You get two AI hosts talking about the topic you asked the AI to deliver a Deep Research report on, and you can join in if you have questions. Usually, one does after such reports.
Consuming some of these reports via Audio Overviews can be more fun than reading them. While ChatGPT doesn’t have a podcast feature, you can export Deep Research PDFs from ChatGPT and use them inside the NotebookLM app, seen above.
It turns out that Google is working on something even more useful: a version of Audio Overviews that will work directly in Google Search.
Google has two AI products in Google Search. The first is AI Overviews, which should provide quick information from your searches. AI Overviews is widely available, with Google forcing the experience at the top of Google Search. The real problem is that the feature is well-known for its hallucinations, though Google keeps defending it.
AI Mode is a much better way of using AI inside Google Search. It’s an optional experience similar to a chatbot that happens in a different tab. AI Mode is only available in the US, though.
Audio Overviews is the third AI feature Google is adding to Google Search. It’ll be an optional tool and only available if you register via Google Labs to test it.
Audio Overviews will employ Google’s latest Gemini models to generate podcast experiences for some of your searches. The feature will work best with complex topics you’re not familiar with, rather than simple searches that don’t require a podcast experience.
For example, a regular Google Search will give you the schedule for today’s matches in the FIFA Club World Cup competition that started in the US. But an Audio Overview podcast might come in handy if you don’t know how soccer is played or the rules.
Google Search will intelligently determine when an Audio Overview is needed. You probably won’t get the user interface above for questions related to today’s World Cup matches.
Rinse and repeat for any harder topic that requires a deeper dive than a traditional Google Search experience, where you’d tap a few links to understand the concept.
The Audio Overviews experience in Google Search will feature a player that lets you access the podcast. The example above shows that the AI “shows” can be very short. The podcast might last only a few minutes, so you’d quickly get your answers.
The Audio Overviews section also comes with links to sources, so you can explore a topic after you’ve listened to the Audio Overview. This also lets you ensure the AI didn’t make any mistakes.
Finally, I’ll point out that Google offers an Audio Overview example for a Google Search experience on mobile devices. I’d expect Audio Overviews to be available on the desktop too, even though getting Audio Overviews for searching on the go makes more sense. The reason I want Audio Overviews in ChatGPT has to do with the mobile experience. I’d love to listen to Deep Research podcasts while I walk or run.
Unlike AI Overviews, Audio Overviews will be an opt-in experience. You’ll have to want to try it via Labs. You can get started at this link.
