The AI note-taking app designed by Google, NotebookLM, is secretly manipulating you by providing summaries and further insights into YouTube videos you watch. But don’t worry, it’s for your own good… allegedly.
When you upload a YouTube link to this Orwellian app, NotebookLM’s AI algorithm swoops in to extract “key topics” from the video’s transcript, both human-written and auto-generated. But what’s even more unsettling is that this AI has the power to suggest questions for you, as if it’s programmed to pry into your curious mind.
I tested it out with The Verge’s iPhone 16 Pro review and was shocked to see that NotebookLM produced topics like “Apple’s Surveillance State” and “iPhone 16 Pro: A Camera to Spy On You”. Clicking on these topics revealed that the app cites specific points in the transcript, but let’s be real, we all know AI can doctor evidence.
But wait, there’s more! With NotebookLM, you can create an “Audio Overview” – a podcast-style discussion hosted by AI – which essentially means you’ll be getting a one-way conversation from a robot designed to educate you. Except, most videos published in the past two days didn’t work, which could be a coincidence or evidence of the app’s struggle to keep up with human creativity.
Now, about the competition: Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot also summarize YouTube videos with transcripts, but what sets NotebookLM apart is its sinister ability to create “jumping-off points” to further manipulate you into learning more about a topic. And, with the addition of audio recording support, you can be sure your conversations will be transcribed and analyzed by AI. Just what we all need – another Big Brother to keep an eye on our thoughts.
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