I let Gemini turn complex research into podcasts. I'll never go back ...
The shift away from Google Assistant, and into the Gemini era, is nearly in its last stages. One can feel nostalgic about the eponymous virtual assistant, but it’s undeniable that the arrival of Gemini has truly changed what an AI agent can do for us.
Turning it all, into a podcast
The language understanding chops are far better with Gemini. Conversations are natural, app interactions are fluid, integration with other Google products is rewarding, and even in its free state, Gemini takes Siri to the cleaners even on an iPhone.
There are, however, a few tricks that put Gemini in an altogether different league. Deep Research is one of those agentic features that I use on a daily basis and continue to be amazed at. In March, Google added another rewarding feature to the Gemini arsenal: Audio Overviews.
Imagine turning your drab documents, overtly complex research paper, or academic reading material into a lively two-way podcast chat. That’s essentially what Audio Overviews is all about. The feature first arrived on Google’s deeply underrated NotebookLM, and has finally been ported over to the core Gemini experience on mobile and web.
How it helped me?
You don’t have to go through any technical hoops, or write a hyper-specific text prompt to get these audio makeovers. Just upload a file from the attachment picker, and you will see a “Generate Audio Overview” chip appear right above the chat box. Tap on it, and the podcast generation will commence.
The audio overview is typically a two-person, free-flowing chat in an eerily natural tone. It almost feels as if you are chatting with Gemini Live, which itself feels dramatically more natural than any AI chatbot I’ve used so far in voice conversation mode.
Convenience, above all
These AI-generated podcasts are generally pretty well-made. But I gravitate towards them for a couple of reasons. First, I stare at a screen, read articles for research, and write my own stuff, pretty much the entire day. That leaves little room for engaging with any further text-based material, be it academic, work-related, or even recreational.
“Engaging multiple senses strengthens memory. When we listen and interact—whether through reading, writing, or doing—the brain builds stronger connections, making it easier to recall later,” says Yasir Naseem, a linguistics expert whose research work has focused on the modernization and gamification of teaching methodologies.
More effective, too
Research published in Computers & Education journal also highlighted how students found audio files to be the superior learning and revision material. Flexibility, and sensory versatility, played a major role in their preference for podcasts over other media.
The research discussed how nerve cells organize themselves.
A few snags
You see, these audio podcasts are not a simple text-to-audio conversion. Instead, they break down an otherwise boring wall of text into a conversational format that you are essentially the sole audience to. It’s a boon for any text-based material that doesn’t instantly spark your curiosity and goads you into an instant reading.
