Google has rolled out a major update to NotebookLM, its AI-powered research and note-taking assistant, introducing a 1 million-token context window, saved chat history, and goal-based chat customization. The update, powered by the latest Gemini models, enhances context understanding, personalization, and long-form conversation handling.
Expanded Context and Deeper Insights
NotebookLM now supports a 1 million-token context window – enabling it to process massive data sets and larger document collections at once. The update also expands multi-turn conversation capacity more than sixfold, allowing users to maintain coherent, topic-relevant exchanges throughout extended research sessions.
Google says internal testing showed a 50% rise in user satisfaction for responses referencing large data collections, thanks to improved Gemini-driven reasoning and synthesis.
Saved and Secure Conversation History
One of the most requested features, automatic conversation saving, is now part of NotebookLM.
Chats are preserved across sessions, enabling users to resume long-term projects like research papers, scripts, or strategy documents without losing context.
Importantly, chat logs in shared notebooks remain private to each user, with full control to delete or manage history anytime.
Goal-Based Chat Configuration
The new goal customization system lets users tailor NotebookLM’s behavior and tone to fit specific workflows. Users can now set personalized roles and objectives – for example:
- Acting as a research advisor that challenges assumptions and reviews arguments.
- Serving as a marketing strategist that generates actionable campaign insights.
- Functioning as an academic or creative analyst that interprets material from multiple perspectives.
- Even taking on the role of a Game Master, enabling text-based roleplay and simulation projects.
According to Anuja Agrawal, Senior Staff Lead for NotebookLM, the combination of Gemini’s upgraded reasoning and customizable goals “enables more context-aware and adaptive responses across diverse professional and creative workflows.”
The saved conversation history feature will roll out gradually over the next week, while the expanded context window, conversation upgrades, and goal-based customization are available globally starting today across all NotebookLM plans.
