Google has transformed NotebookLM from a simple research tool into a visual powerhouse with a massive design upgrade. Users can now generate full Slide Decks directly from their uploaded sources. They can also create Infographics, powered by the advanced Nano Banana Pro image model.
This update allows students, researchers, and professionals to turn complex documents into polished presentations in seconds. But, early users report mixed results about accuracy.
3 Key Takeaways
- Instant Visuals: NotebookLM can now automatically generate full Slide Decks and Infographics from your notes. This feature saves hours of manual design work.
- Nano Banana Pro Power: The new visual features are powered by Nano Banana Pro. This AI model is designed to turn text research into polished, publication-ready graphics.
- Mixed Reliability: While the visual quality is often praised, some users have reported issues. These include bugs like “hallucinated” sources and feature lockouts. These problems occur despite cooldown periods.
The Evolution: NotebookLM Becoming the Wizard of AI
From Notes to Content Creation
NotebookLM has evolved from an original “AI note-taking wizard” to a one-stop content creation platform. It has become a must-have for knowledge workers and productivity enthusiasts. It has been the breakout star of Google’s AI tools over the past year. This is especially true after the success of the Audio Overviews feature. Now, it adds another “killer capability”: the ability to visualize key insights directly from your source material.
Overview of New Features
The NotebookLM Infographics and Slide Decks update adds two features that save you hours of manual design and formatting.
- Infographics: Automatically create professional visuals summarizing your research.
- Slide Decks: Generate full presentations — title slides, charts, visuals, and conclusions — in seconds.
Under the Hood: The Nano Banana Pro Integration
Casting a “Design Spell”
The core innovation in this release is the integration of Nano Banana Pro, Google’s specialized AI image model. This model is not like generic image generators. It is fine-tuned to create “polished graphics with captions” that align directly with the context of your research notes. This allows the tool to design complex, publication-ready graphics without the user ever leaving the notebook interface.
Automated Design Logic
The AI doesn’t just place text on a background. It analyzes the source material to decide the most effective visual structure. This is a timeline, a chart, or a bulleted list. Nano Banana Pro attempts to match the visual format to the data type found in your source documents.
Workflow: From Source to Google Slides
Seamless Export Options
A major advantage of this update is interoperability. You can create ‘complete and polished slide decks directly from your sources.’ Then you can export them as a PDF. Alternatively, send them directly to Google Slides. This integration removes the friction of copy-pasting AI outputs into a presentation tool.
Editable Outputs
Once exported to Google Slides, the presentations stay fully editable. This is crucial for users who need to refine the AI’s “first draft.” Some users may also need to adjust branding. This ensures that the tool serves as an accelerator rather than a replacement for final polish.
Learn more: Generate a Slide Deck in NotebookLM
Feature Breakdown: Infographics vs. Slide Decks on Google NotebookLM
When to Use Infographics
The Infographic feature is designed for high-density information. It transforms complex PDFs or docs into a single visual summary. This summary is digestible and ideal for quick study guides or social media sharing.
When to Use Slide Decks
The Slide Deck feature focuses on narrative flow. It generates a sequence of title slides, charts, visuals, and conclusions suited for formal presentations or classroom lectures.
Hands-On: How to Prompt for Visuals
Crafting the Perfect Prompt
To get the best results, users can customize the AI’s output by providing specific instructions in the Studio panel. A proven prompt structure includes defining the audience, style, and key focus points. For example, you might use a prompt like: “Create a multiple choice questions worksheet for 5th graders about X. You MUST first come up with 10 multiple choice questions and show them in a list. You MUST NOT give away the answers in the infographic as students will be taking this quiz as a test. Emphasize text size, not imagery.”
Infographic Prompt (Metaphorical Synthesis):
Providing topic and selecting reliable sources to generate an Infographic, you can ask NotebookLM to
“Analyze the ‘Pros and Cons’ of the two competing theories found in the source documents. Generate a circular Venn Diagram Infographic illustrating the overlapping principles. YOU MUST use a maximalist, oil-painting aesthetic (Nano Banana Pro style) and avoid all standard bullet points. Instead, embed the information directly into stylized icons within the diagram labels.”
Slide Deck Prompt (Persona & Exclusion):
Providing topic and selecting reliable sources to generate slide deck, you can ask NotebookLM to
“Create a 12-slide Presenter Deck summarizing the impact of the ‘Project Alpha’ documents. The deck MUST be structured as a minimalist tech company quarterly report and MUST pose three open-ended questions to the audience on the final slide. Do NOT use any AI-generated images; restrict visuals entirely to bar charts and line graphs derived from the source data.”
Product Development Milestones Visual Guide
Providing Product Development milestones topic and selecting reliable sources to generate an Infographic, you can ask NotebookLM to
“Generate a Vertical Timeline Infographic for the ‘Product Development Milestones’ document. The timeline MUST visually structure each anchor with a ‘project difficulty’ icon (easy, medium, hard). DO NOT display calendar dates; use thematic labels like ‘Initial Phase,’ ‘Mid-Cycle Review,’ and ‘Final Release’ as the primary anchors instead.”
Export and Share: Beyond the Notebook
Downloading and Presenting
Once your visual asset is ready, NotebookLM offers flexible sharing options. You can download your slide deck directly as a PDF file for easy sharing via email or messaging apps. Alternatively, you can show directly from the platform using the full-screen slideshow mode, which is ideal for quick, impromptu presentations.
Learn more: Generate a Slide Deck in NotebookLM
Google Slides Integration
For users who need more granular control, the ability to export to Google Slides is a game-changer. This lets you tweak the design. You can add animations. You can collaborate with team members just as you would with a manually created presentation.
Real User Reviews: The Good, The Bad, and The Hallucinations
Praise for Visual Quality
Some users are finding the output surprisingly high-quality. One Reddit user shared a glowing review of the new capabilities:
“Maybe I’m just lucky or something, but I’ve produced 2 or 3 slide decks so far and a couple of infographics… I’m just blown away. These slides look better than anything I’ve ever produced.”
Concerns Over Accuracy (“Style Over Substance”)
Nonetheless, not everyone is impressed. Some users feel the focus has shifted too much toward visuals at the expense of core functionality or accuracy.
“Notebook is now style over substance”
“The Slide deck feature is just sick. But it hallucinates with the sources.”
Technical Glitches and Language Issues
Others have reported frustration with bugs, like being locked out of the feature or seeing errors in non-English languages.
“However, it’s a shame that sometimes beautiful graphic results come out but with some spelling errors, at least in my Italian language.”
Action Points — How to use this information
- Select Your Sources: Open a notebook in NotebookLM that holds the documents or text you want to visualize.
- Choose Your Format: Look for the new “Create” options in the interface to select either “Slide Deck” or “Infographic”.
- Review Carefully: Given the reports of “hallucinations,” always double-check the generated citations and data against your original documents before presenting.
- Export and Edit: You can export the final results as a PDF or into Google Slides for further customization.
FAQs on Google NotebookLM
- Can NotebookLM create PPT?
NotebookLM creates slide decks that can be exported. These are often exported as PDFs or to Google Slides. They can then be saved as PowerPoint files.
- What is a slide deck in Google slides?
It is a presentation file. It consists of a series of slides used to show information. Now, the slides can be AI-generated in NotebookLM.
- Can I make an infographic on Google slides?
Google Slides is for presentations. NotebookLM now has a dedicated “Infographic” feature. It transforms complex documents into digestible visual summaries.
- Does NotebookLM create Slides?
Yes, the new feature lets you generate full presentations including title slides and visuals in seconds.
- What are good features of a slide deck?
Good features include clear summaries, visual charts, organized headers, and accurate conclusions—all of which NotebookLM aims to automate.
- Notebook LM for project management ?
Project managers can use the tool to turn project documentation and status reports into quick visual updates for stakeholders.
- What is the Nano Banana Pro model?
It is the specific AI model integrated into NotebookLM that powers the creation of high-quality, polished graphics and slides.
- Does NotebookLM generate charts?
Yes, the update includes the ability to generate charts and visuals to summarize data.
- Is the Slide Deck feature free?
NotebookLM is generally free to use, though some users on Pro plans have reported specific access issues.
- Does it support other languages?
Yes, but some users have reported spelling errors when generating graphics in languages like Italian.
- Can I edit the slides?
Yes, the output is designed to be exported and polished, allowing you to fix any “hallucinations” or errors.
- Notebooklm presentation slide prompt?
You do not need complex prompts. The AI uses your selected source material. It automatically determines the structure of the presentation.
Further Reading
Official Sources:
Learn more on Google NotebookLM on AppliedAI Tools:
- Google NotebookLM – best AI research assistant for notes
- Learn NotebookLM For Beginners – 2025 Guide With FAQs Solved And Real Examples
Learn more about other AI model advancements on AppliedAI Tools:
- Perplexity AI Shopping – Reddit Review, PayPal Offer, vs ChatGPT Shopping
- Perplexity Labs: Prompt to IPO Prospectus + Use Case Examples
- 5 ChatGPT Parental Controls: OpenAI Age Detection Tech Explained
- ChatGPT alternative – 30 User-Friendly ChatGPT UI tools
- ChatGPT Long-Term Memory Upgrade – How To Protect Your Data
- Claim ChatGPT Go Free in India: Features and Reviews
- 5 Free ChatGPT Features For Prompt Management
- Use ChatGPT Projects Feature For Free [Tutorial with Example]
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