Google has expanded its AI-based note-taking and research assistant, NotebookLM Plus, to individual users subscribed to the Google One AI Premium plan. This move comes almost two months after its debut for enterprises on Google Cloud and via Google Workspace. NotebookLM Plus offers higher usage limits and premium features, including 5 times more usage than the free version, or 500 notebooks and 300 sources per notebook, as well as up to 500 chat queries and 20 audio generations per day.

The Google One AI Premium tier, which costs $20 a month, will provide individual subscribers with access to all these features. Additionally, Google has introduced a 50% discount for students above 18 years in the US, offering the One AI Premium at a monthly charge of $9.99. According to Kelly Schaefer, director of product and domain lead at Google Labs, the company has seen a ton of interest from consumers, particularly students, since the beginning.

NotebookLM, launched as a project in 2023, gained wider attention following the debut of its Audio Overviews feature in September last year. The service, which allows users to generate podcast-like audio conversations based on the content they upload, led companies like ElevenLabs and Meta to copy the idea. Despite this, Google's offering remained relevant with regular updates, including the ability to guide AI-generated audio conversations.

Schaefer revealed that Google is planning to enhance Audio Overviews in NotebookLM with support for other languages beyond English. The company is thinking about how to prioritize the languages and ensure that they feel genuine and seamless, just like the current Audio Overviews. However, Schaefer did not disclose the Gemini AI models Google uses for NotebookLM, stating that the underlying model is currently the same for both Plus and non-premium users.

The Google Labs team is also working to bring NotebookLM to mobile devices through a dedicated app, although no specific timeline has been shared. The goal is to make the mobile experience feel similar to the desktop experience, while also tailoring it to the most common mobile use cases. Furthermore, the company is exploring how NotebookLM could leverage the emergence of reasoning models and work on thinking and reasoning experiences.

Notably, Schaefer emphasized that the team will continue to support non-paying users, ensuring that the NotebookLM free experience remains excellent. The focus is on offering more to Plus users rather than degrading the experience for free users.

While Google has not disclosed the actual number of users on NotebookLM nor the size of its team, data from market intelligence provider Similarweb suggests that the AI assistant has seen 28.18 million visits in the last three months, with almost 9 million in January alone. This expansion to individual subscribers is likely to further boost the platform's popularity.

In conclusion, Google's expansion of NotebookLM Plus to individual subscribers marks a significant milestone in the development of its AI-based note-taking and research assistant. With its premium features and discounted pricing for students, NotebookLM Plus is poised to become an essential tool for individuals and enterprises alike.