Google Drive Adds AI Podcast-Style Audio Overviews for PDFs – Turning Documents Into Conversations!

Google Drive is introducing a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that brings podcast-style audio summaries to PDF files. The tech giant announced on Tuesday that users will soon be able to convert long and text-heavy PDFs into engaging conversational summaries, similar to a podcast, through the Gemini for Google Workspace suite.

This feature, known as AI-Powered Audio Overviews, uses the same underlying technology as NotebookLM’s popular “Audio Overview” tool. It allows users to listen to summaries where two AI hosts discuss the document’s contents, offering an alternative way to understand large files.

Currently, the feature is available only to paid Workspace subscribers, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Google AI Pro, and Google AI Ultra users. It is initially limited to English language support and can generate summaries between two and ten minutes long, depending on the PDF content.

To use the feature, open a PDF on the desktop version of Google Drive, click the waveform icon on the top bar, and Gemini will generate an audio summary within minutes. Users will also receive an email notification once the summary is ready. After generation, the audio can be accessed on mobile devices as well.

Although the tool doesn’t currently have admin controls, it’s expected to enhance productivity for professionals and students by offering an easy, on-the-go way to digest information.