Google's Gemini Adds Project Notebooks, Tightens Integration with NotebookLM

Google announced a new organizational feature for its Gemini AI on Wednesday. Dubbed 'notebooks,' the tool allows users to consolidate project materials—including files, previous chat histories, and specific instructions—into a single, persistent space. This collection then serves as ongoing context for conversations with the chatbot, aiming to reduce repetitive explanations and maintain continuity across complex tasks.

The move mirrors functionality seen in competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT, which introduced a similar 'Projects' feature last year. Google positions its notebooks as a broader 'personal knowledge base' intended to work across its product ecosystem, beginning with Gemini. A notable integration is with Google's standalone research assistant, NotebookLM; sources added in either application will automatically sync between the two.

For now, access is limited. The notebooks feature is launching this week for paying subscribers of Gemini's Ultra, Pro, and Plus plans on the web. Google states a wider release for mobile apps and free-tier users is planned for the coming weeks. This rollout underscores the industry's focus on developing AI assistants that can manage sustained, context-rich projects rather than operating as isolated conversational tools.

Source: The Verge