Unlocking Search: Google Trials Engaging Audio Overviews for Enhanced Query Experiences | TechCrunch

Google is trying out a new feature called Audio Overviews for some Search queries. This was recently shared in an announcement. The feature is initially available in NotebookLM, which is Google’s AI-based tool for note-taking and research.

Audio Overviews aim to provide users with a fresh way to take in information. Google describes it as a helpful option for multitaskers or those who simply enjoy listening. With this feature, users can generate a short audio summary based on their queries.

Once users create an Audio Overview, they’ll see an audio player. It has play/pause controls, a volume button, and a playback speed option.

Google is also making sure users know where the information comes from by including links within the audio player. This way, if listeners want to explore a topic further, they can easily access more details.

Users can give feedback on the audio overviews, indicating whether they found them useful. This helps Google improve the feature over time.

In NotebookLM, this same audio concept allows users to create podcasts with AI virtual hosts based on documents they upload, like course materials or legal documents. Google had already added Audio Overviews to Gemini back in March.

This Audio Overviews feature builds on Google’s AI-generated summaries, which already help simplify information for users. The aim is to especially cater to auditory learners and those seeking easier access to knowledge.

Interestingly, this announcement follows a report from the Wall Street Journal. The report highlighted concerns that Google’s AI tools may be negatively impacting traffic for news websites.

Insight on User Trends: A recent survey found that 60% of people prefer listening to content over reading it, particularly for educational materials. This suggests that Google’s new feature could meet a substantial demand for audio learning.

For more details on Google’s features, you can check Google’s announcement here.

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AI,Audio Overviews,Google