The Most Underrated AI Tool

Every week, someone asks me "What AI tool I should try that isn't ChatGPT?" And every week my answer is the same: NotebookLM. It's free, it's made by Google, and it genuinely changed how I consume information. Today I'm breaking down why I think it's the most underrated AI tool out there and giving you 5 reasons to try it this week.

What's inside this week:

This week’s newsletter sponsor

Help your teams work better together with shared inboxes, deal boards, customer insights, and more. All your data at your fingertips, streamlined by AI. Start free today.

Get Started Free

ONLY 6 DAYS LEFT!

If you haven't joined yet, Founding Member pricing (50% off) is available through February. This is the lowest it will ever be. Lock in your spot here!

Membership includes access to our private slack channel, confirmed spot at all our events, exclusive discounts & freebies, our AI template, and much more!!

OK so what is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is a free tool from Google that lets you upload your own stuff, like PDFs, Google Docs, YouTube videos, website links, Google Slides, even Google Sheets, and then talk to an AI that actually knows YOUR material. Not the whole internet or what it thinks is relevant.

So instead of asking an AI a general question and hoping it gets it right, you're asking an AI that has actually read your specific stuff. It's like the difference between Googling "how to plan a wedding" and having a friend who read your entire Pinterest board, budget spreadsheet, and venue contract sit down and help you figure out next steps.

You go to notebooklm.google.com, sign in with your Google account, upload your sources, and start asking questions. If you have a Gmail, you're already in.

Why should you care?

Because most of us are drowning in content we mean to read and never do. The bookmarked articles. The saved YouTube videos. The 30-page PDF your boss sent that you skimmed for 45 seconds and prayed nobody would quiz you on. NotebookLM actually makes it possible to do something with all of that.

Here are 5 reasons I think it deserves way more hype:

1. It turns your research into a podcast you can listen to while walking your dog

After you upload your sources,  NotebookLM can generate a full podcast-style conversation between two AI hosts who break down your material. They banter back and forth and make connections between your documents, and explain things in a fun, playful way.

I use this constantly now. While doing dishes. While driving. While folding laundry. It turns dead time into learning time and I'm a little obsessed.

2. It only knows what you give it

This is what makes it different from ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini. When you ask NotebookLM a question, it pulls exclusively from the sources you uploaded.

So when I uploaded my 300+ founding member survey responses and asked "what are the top 3 things my members are struggling with?" — the answer was grounded in real data from real people. I didn’t have to worry about hallucinations.

3. It generates mind maps, study guides, and briefing docs from your sources

The audio podcast thing gets all the attention, but the other output options are just as good. You can take your uploaded sources and with one click generate:

I used the briefing doc feature before a call with a potential sponsor last week. I uploaded their website, their founder's LinkedIn posts, and two podcast interviews they'd done. NotebookLM gave me a one-page summary of their brand positioning, key talking points, and what they care about.

4. It can turn your research into slide decks and infographics

This one is newer and probably one of the most useful features.. You upload your sources, and NotebookLM can generate a full slide deck or an infographic from the material. And the slides come out looking surprisingly professional.

5. It's actually free (for now)

In a world where every AI tool wants $20/month from you, this one is genuinely free for a lot of usage. The free plan gives you 100 notebooks with up to 50 sources each. There's a paid tier ($19.99/month with Google AI Pro) if you need more notebooks or extra audio overviews, but the free version is more than enough to start with.

🦋 Your turn. Here's what I want you to try this week:

What’s Hot on the Internet

If you are interested in joining AI Snack Club and want to try out an event, we invite you to sign up for one community expert session to give us a try!

Upcoming Events

Past Events