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Monument Valley 3 breaks the series’ old boundaries by adding a sailboat

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Monument Valley 3 breaks the series' old boundaries by adding a sailboat

During , some more details about Monument Valley 3 emerged. Developer Ustwo Games says the builds on its predecessors in several ways, especially in terms of the gameplay, art style and story.

Perhaps the biggest change in Monument Valley 3 is the introduction of sailing. You’ll be able to move the boat in almost any direction and, as such, “the game is no longer restricted to geometric spaces,” game director Jennifer Estaris said during a call with reporters. Along with unfolding cubes that shift new protagonist Noor onto different planes, Monument Valley 3 is in large part about “deconstructing what we know,” Estaris said.

Naturally, those changes allow for fresh puzzles and visuals as players navigate impossible-looking, MC Escher-style architectural spaces. Aligned with that, Ustwo has evolved the art style with softer and more abstract shapes (you are going to be navigating rivers after all). The result is something that looks very familiar, but like a hazy memory. Meanwhile, the soundtrack from an 18-piece orchestra might just stir up some emotions.

While the original game was about forgiveness and its sequel was a coming-of-age tale, Monument Valley 3 focuses on the themes of hope, togetherness and resilience. Noor is a lighthouse keeper’s apprentice who is tasked with searching for a new source of power before light fades away from the world forever. It’s the “most ambitious story” to date for a Monument Valley game, according to Ustwo marketing manager Jamie Wotton.

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All three Monument Valley games are standalone titles with their own stories. That means you’ll be able to glide right into Monument Valley 3 without playing the previous two entries. But there’s plenty of time to check those out first (or revisit them). You won’t have to pay extra for those mobile gaming classics if you have a Netflix subscription. There are no ads or in-app purchases in the company’s games.

Monument Valley is available to Netflix subscribers on iOS and Android starting today, and its sequel will arrive on the service on October 29. Monument Valley 3 will then debut as a Netflix mobile exclusive on December 10.

Netflix revealed some other mobile gaming news during Geeked Week. Its  (which includes special weapons and ranked modes) will drop on September 24. Subscribers will soon be able to play and on their mobile devices at no extra cost — the Netflix version of the latter will offer cross-play between iOS and Android.

Meanwhile, Netflix at Squid Game: Unleashed before that multiplayer tie-in game arrives later this year. Last but not least, there was a first look at Blood Line: A Rebel Moon Game, based on Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies. The Netflix-exclusive co-op action game from developer Super Evil Megacorp will debut in 2025.

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Creature that washed up on New Zealand beach may be world’s rarest whale — a spade-toothed whale

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Creature that washed up on New Zealand beach may be world's rarest whale — a spade-toothed whale


Endangered whale species finds home in waters off New York, New Jersey

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Endangered whale species finds home in waters off New York, New Jersey

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Wellington, New Zealand — Spade-toothed whales are the world’s rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded. No one knows how many there are, what they eat, or even where they live in the vast expanse of the southern Pacific Ocean. However, scientists in New Zealand may have finally caught a break.

The country’s conservation agency said Monday a creature that washed up on a South Island beach this month is believed to be a spade-toothed whale. The five-meter-long creature, a type of beaked whale, was identified after it washed ashore on Otago beach from its color patterns and the shape of its skull, beak and teeth

“We know very little, practically nothing” about the creatures, Hannah Hendriks, Marine Technical Advisor for the Department of Conservation, told The Associated Press. “This is going to lead to some amazing science and world-first information.”

New Zealand Whale
In this photo provided by the Department of Conservation, rangers Jim Fyfe and Tūmai Cassidy walk alongside what’s believed to be a rare spade-toothed whale, on July 5, 2024, after its was found washed ashore on a beach near Otago, New Zealand. 

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Department of Conservation / AP


If the cetacean is confirmed to be the elusive spade-toothed whale, it would be the first specimen found in a state that would permit scientists to dissect it, allowing them to map the relationship of the whale to the few others of the species found and learn what it eats and perhaps lead to clues about where they live.

Only six other spade-toothed whales have ever been pinpointed, and those found intact on New Zealand’s North Island beaches had been buried before DNA testing could verify their identification, Hendriks said, thwarting any chance to study them.

This time, the beached whale was quickly transported to cold storage and researchers will work with local Māori iwi (tribes) to plan how it will be examined, the conservation agency said.

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New Zealand’s Indigenous people consider whales a taonga – a sacred treasure – of cultural significance. In April, Pacific Indigenous leaders signed a treaty recognizing whales as “legal persons,” although such a declaration is not reflected in the laws of participating nations.

Nothing is currently known about the whales’ habitat. The creatures deep-dive for food and likely surface so rarely that it has been impossible to narrow their location further than the southern Pacific Ocean, home to some of the world’s deepest ocean trenches, Hendriks said.

New Zealand Whale
In this photo provided by the Department of Conservation, rangers inspect what’s believed to be a rare spade-toothed whale on July 5, 2024, after it was found washed ashore on a beach near Otago, New Zealand.

Department of Conservation / AP

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“It’s very hard to do research on marine mammals if you don’t see them at sea,” she said. “It’s a bit of a needle in a haystack. You don’t know where to look.”

The conservation agency said the genetic testing to confirm the whale’s identification could take months.

It took “many years and a mammoth amount of effort by researchers and local people” to identify the “incredibly cryptic” mammals, Kirsten Young, a senior lecturer at the University of Exeter who has studied spade-toothed whales, said in emailed remarks.

The fresh discovery “makes me wonder – how many are out in the deep ocean and how do they live?” Young said.

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The first spade-toothed whale bones were found in 1872 on New Zealand’s Pitt Island. Another discovery was made at an offshore island in the 1950s, and the bones of a third were found on Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island in 1986. DNA sequencing in 2002 proved that all three specimens were of the same species – and that it was one distinct from other beaked whales.

Researchers studying the mammal couldn’t confirm if the species went extinct. Then in 2010, two whole spade-toothed whales, both dead, washed up on a New Zealand beach. Firstly mistaken for one of New Zealand’s 13 other more common types of beaked whale, tissue samples – taken after they were buried – revealed them as the enigmatic species.

New Zealand is a whale-stranding hotspot, with more than 5,000 episodes recorded since 1840, according to the Department of Conservation.  

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5 data governance framework examples

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5 data governance framework examples

Organizations that treat their data as an asset have a data governance framework that matches their style, structure and culture.

Organizations of all sizes collect, store and process data from numerous sources, including customers, employees and business partners. Without proper oversight, they can miss valuable insights, violate privacy regulations and make decisions based on inaccurate or incomplete information. They might encounter other data issues such as inconsistencies, errors and duplications.

A data governance framework provides a structured, consistent approach to manage data assets and treat data as a valuable resource that supports business strategy. Data governance frameworks consist of policies, processes and standards that define how to collect, store, use and protect data throughout its lifecycle.

Establishing guidelines and best practices through a data governance framework helps organizations ensure regulatory compliance, improve data quality and develop transparent data management practices. A practical framework gives data users confidence in data reporting, analysis and planning. By demonstrating a commitment to responsible data management, organizations can build trust among their stakeholders, including customers, partners and regulators.

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Pillars of a data governance framework

An effective data governance framework is built on four essential pillars: data quality, data security and privacy, data ownership and accountability, and data governance metrics.

Data quality

Data quality measures whether the data fits its intended purpose. High-quality data is accurate, complete, consistent and timely. It is the core of any data initiative.

A governance framework needs four essential procedures to establish and maintain good-quality data:

  1. Regular profiling to assess data and identify quality issues.
  2. Cleansing and validating to remove errors and inconsistencies.
  3. Defining data quality metrics to measure and monitor quality over time.
  4. Implementing data quality controls throughout the data lifecycle.

Data security and privacy

Organizations are susceptible to a wide range of security issues. IT teams might need a better handle on where their vulnerabilities lie. Organizations should ensure their data governance framework includes security and privacy measures to safeguard their data assets and comply with relevant regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA. A strong governance framework contains several elements to regulate data access and usage by members of the organization:

  • Implement strong access controls and authentication mechanisms.
  • Encrypt sensitive data at rest and as it moves around the network.
  • Monitor data access and usage to detect and prevent unauthorized activities.
  • Develop and enforce data privacy policies and procedures.
  • Conduct security audits and risk assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Data ownership and accountability

Clear ownership and accountability ensures consistent and responsible data management throughout the data lifecycle. Well-defined data ownership and stewardship roles can prevent data silos, inconsistencies and errors that occur from uncoordinated or unassigned data management. A framework should support key aspects of accountability:

  • Establish data owners and stewards responsible for disparate data domains or assets.
  • Define transparent processes for data access, modification and sharing.
  • Create a data governance council or committee to oversee data governance initiatives.
  • Promote a culture of data responsibility and collaboration across the organization.

Data governance metrics

Measuring the effectiveness of data governance initiatives enables continuous management and demonstrates the value of data governance to stakeholders. Organizations should define key performance indicators or metrics to track the progress of their data governance efforts:

  • Develop dashboards and reports to monitor data quality, security and usage.
  • Track the adoption and compliance with data governance policies and standards.
  • Measure the relationship of data governance to business objectives.

Data governance framework examples

Organizations can adopt various approaches when implementing a data governance framework depending on their specific needs, structure and culture. Organizations should consider five standard data governance framework models.

Center-out model

The center-out model establishes a centralized data governance body, such as a data governance council or committee. They define and oversee governance policies and standards. The model balances enterprise-wide consistency with some flexibility for individual business units’ specific needs. It also promotes collaboration and communication between the central governance team and data stakeholders.

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Diagram of a center-out governance framework.
Example of a center-out model.

The Data Governance Institute’s Data Governance Framework is a center-out model that emphasizes establishing a Data Governance Office and Board. The framework comprises 10 critical components that address the rules, people, organizational bodies and processes required for effective data governance. The components include defining the mission and vision, establishing goals and metrics, identifying data rules and definitions, assigning decision rights and accountabilities, and implementing controls. The framework also emphasizes the importance of data stakeholders and assigns data stewards to ensure the program’s success. It has hybrid flexibility for business units and data domains, but the Data Governance Office remains critical.

PwC, one of the world’s largest professional services networks, also recommends a centralized approach to meet compliance requirements and avoid business risks. However, PwC sees it as a step to help organizations better monetize their data assets. The PwC model emphasizes a centralized data governance program for consistency across business lines and to reduce the risk of data silos and missed opportunities.

Diagram of an example top-down governance framework.
Example of a top-down governance model.

Top-down model

In the top-down model, executive leadership and senior management drive data governance. The approach ensures that governance initiatives align with the organization’s strategic goals and priorities. It also provides the necessary authority and resources to enforce policies and standards across the enterprise. However, it might require more support from business units and stakeholders that feel disconnected from the governance process.

The global management consulting firm McKinsey describes a framework for effective governance that focuses on creating business value and enabling digital and analytics initiatives. The framework’s key elements involve securing top management’s attention and buy-in for data governance and integrating data governance with primary business transformation themes. McKinsey’s model proposes a central data management office, but emphasizes that executive leadership reinforces a solid top-down process.

Hybrid model

The hybrid approach combines concepts from other models to create a customized strategy that suits the organization’s unique needs and structure. For example, an organization might establish a central data governance council to set enterprise-wide policies and standards. They can also empower business units to implement local governance practices aligned with the central framework. It offers the benefits of centralized control and decentralized flexibility.

The Eckerson Group’s Modern Data Governance Framework is a hybrid model. It combines elements of centralized governance through methods, processes and technology with decentralized flexibility with an emphasis on people, culture and the need to adapt to the specific requirements of different stakeholders. The framework stresses the importance of involving a wide range of people, from sponsors and owners to stewards, curators, coaches and consumers. The goal is to build a roadmap for governance as a living document, that is revisited regularly to adapt to changes in priorities or needs.

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Diagram of an example hybrid governance framework.
Example of a hybrid model.

Bottom-up model

The bottom-up model involves data stakeholders and subject matter experts from across the organization in the governance process. The model encourages collaboration and buy-in from people closest to the data, which ensures that governance policies and procedures are practical, relevant and effective.

Diagram of an example bottom-up governance framework.
Example of a bottom-up framework.

DAMA, a well-known community of data management professionals, developed the Data Management Body of Knowledge (DMBOK). The comprehensive model defines the standard functions and activities related to data management within an organization. Its functions cover the entire data lifecycle, including planning, architecture, development, operations and quality management.

The DAMA-DMBOK framework is flexible, but it’s commonly used as a bottom-up approach because DAMA members typically drive initiatives from the IT department. Over time, they gain executive support and a more formalized adoption as stakeholders can show their success.

Silo-in model

A silo-in allows individual business units or departments to establish data governance practices and standards for their specific needs and requirements.

However, it can lead to inconsistency, duplication of effort and a lack of enterprise-wide coordination. The model suits organizations with highly independent business units or limited enterprise-wide data integration needs.

Few consulting firms or software vendors recommend the silo-in model because data silos are seen as problematic for governance. In practice, many data governance programs start tentatively in isolated business units that have problems to deal with or data that is especially valuable or vulnerable.

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When organizations do not adopt a formal data governance framework, they often default to a silo-in approach due to practical considerations. Business units may recognize the need for governance within their domain and take the initiative to establish practices and standards that address their specific pain points or opportunities. The factors that drive the need for governance within the specific unit can include the following:

  • Regulatory compliance requirements that apply to specific business units or data domains.
  • The need to improve data quality and consistency within a particular business function.
  • The desire to use data assets for competitive advantage or innovation within a specific market or product line.

Localized efforts can deliver benefits within their limited scope, but they often need to consider the broader enterprise context and can create challenges down the line. As the organization matures and seeks to use data assets holistically, siloed governance practices can become barriers to integration, interoperability and scale.

If a silo-in approach emerges as the starting point for data governance in an organization, it is essential to recognize its limitations and plan for a transition to a more enterprise-wide model over time:

  • Identify and prioritize data domains that cut across business units and require a more coordinated approach to governance.
  • Establish cross-functional data governance bodies and processes to align practices and standards across the organization.
  • Develop and communicate a shared vision and roadmap for data governance that balances local needs with enterprise goals.
  • Invest in data integration and master data management capabilities to break down silos and enable data sharing and collaboration.

Choosing a framework

Treating data as an asset involves giving it the same care and maintenance that the most valued corporate assets receive. Implementing a data governance framework requires more than technical effort. The cultural element around ownership and accountability requires consideration of an organization’s unique needs, structure and ethos.

The keys to success for any of the five models is involving the necessary stakeholders, securing executive buy-in for more comprehensive programs and developing a continuous improvement process. A data governance framework should integrate with the organization’s overall business strategy, ensuring that data management aligns with goals and objectives.

Donald Farmer is principal of TreeHive Strategy and advises software vendors, enterprises and investors on data and advanced analytics strategies. He has worked on some of the leading data technologies in the market and previously led design and innovation teams at Microsoft and Qlik.

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Earth will get a second “mini-moon” for 2 months this year

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Earth will get a second "mini-moon" for 2 months this year


Earth will get a second moon for about two months this year when a small asteroid begins to orbit our planet. The asteroid was discovered in August and is set to become a mini-moon, revolving around Earth in a horseshoe shape from Sept. 29 to Nov. 25.

Researchers at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, an asteroid monitoring system funded by NASA, spotted the asteroid using an instrument in Sutherland, South Africa and labeled it 2024 PT5. 

Scientists from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid have tracked the asteroid’s orbit for 21 days and determined its future path. 2024 PT5 is from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which orbits the sun, according to their study published in Research Notes of the AAs

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But Earth’s gravitational pull will draw 2024 PT5 towards it and, much like our moon, it will orbit our planet — but only for 56.6 days.

While other non-Earth objects, or NEOs, have entered Earth’s orbit before, some don’t complete full revolutions of Earth. Some, however, do and become so-called mini-moons.

An asteroid called 2020 CD3 was bound to Earth for several years before leaving the planet’s orbit in 2020 and another called 2022 NX1 became a mini-moon of Earth in 1981 and 2022 and will return again in 2051. 

2024 PT5, which is larger than some of the other mini-moons, will also return to Earth’s orbit — in 2055. 

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Earth’s gravity will pull it into its orbit and the asteroid will have negative geocentric energy, meaning it can’t escape Earth’s gravitational pull. It will orbit around Earth in a horseshoe shape before reverting back to heliocentric energy, meaning it will rotate around the sun again, like the other planets and NEOs in our galaxy.

Even after it leaves orbit, it will stay near Earth for a few months, making its closest approach on Jan. 9, 2025. Soon after, it will leave Earth’s neighborhood until its path puts it back into our orbit in about 30 years.

The study’s lead author Carlos de la Fuente Marcos told Space.com the mini-moon will be too small to see with amateur telescopes or binoculars but professional astronomers with stronger tools will be able to spot it.

CBS News has reached out to Marcos for further information and is awaiting response.

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Netflix teases the next seasons of Avatar, Squid Game and Arcane at Geeked Week

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Netflix teases the next seasons of Avatar, Squid Game and Arcane at Geeked Week

At its in-person fan event for Geeked Week this year, Netflix has shown teasers and sneak peeks of its upcoming shows, including the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender. In addition to revealing that the new season is already in production, Netflix has also announced that Miya Cech (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) is playing earthbending master Toph.

A teaser for Squid Game season 2 shows Lee Jung-jae wearing his player 456 uniform again to compete in another round of deadly games with other contestants hoping to win millions of dollars. The next season of Squid Game will start streaming on December 26.

The streaming giant has also revealed that One Piece live action’s Mr. 0 and Miss All-Sunday will be portrayed by Joe Mangianello and Lera Abova, respectively. And for Wednesday fans, Netflix has released a teaser for the second season of Wednesday that will arrive sometime in 2025.

For animation fans, Netflix has released a teaser for Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, with Liev Schreiber voicing protagonist Sam Fisher. It has also given viewers a short look at a new Devil May Cry animated series by Korean company Studio Mir, which is coming in April 2025.

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Netflix has teased a new Tomb Raider animated series that’s coming in October and a Rebel Moon game that’s arriving in 2025, as well. Finally, the company has given Arcane fans a clear schedule for the final chapter of the critically acclaimed show: Act 1 will be available to stream on November 9, followed by Act 2 on November 16. A third and final Act will close out the show with a proper ending on November 23.

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Climate change is making days longer, according to new research

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Climate change is making days longer, according to new research


How melting glaciers fuel sea level rise

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How melting Arctic glaciers contribute to rising sea levels

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Climate change is making days longer, as the melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets causes water to move closer to the equator, fattening the planet and slowing its rotation, according to a recent study.

Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences used both observations and reconstructions to track variations of mass at Earth’s surface since 1900.

In the 20th century, researchers found that between 0.3 milliseconds per century and 1 millisecond per century were added to the length of a day by climate-induced increases. Since 2000, they found that number accelerated to 1.3 milliseconds per century.

“We can see our impact as humans on the whole Earth system, not just locally, like the rise in temperature, but really fundamentally, altering how it moves in space and rotates,” Benedikt Soja of ETH Zurich in Switzerland told Britain’s Guardian newspaper. “Due to our carbon emissions, we have done this in just 100 or 200 years, whereas the governing processes previously had been going on for billions of years. And that is striking.”

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Researchers said that, under high greenhouse gas emission scenarios, the climate-induced increase in the length of a day will continue to grow and could reach a rate twice as large as the present one. This could have implications for a number of technologies humans rely on, like navigation.

“All the data centers that run the internet, communications and financial transactions, they are based on precise timing,” Soja said. “We also need a precise knowledge of time for navigation, and particularly for satellites and spacecraft.”

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Google’s NotebookLM evolves: What IT leaders need to know about its enterprise applications

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Google’s NotebookLM evolves: What IT leaders need to know about its enterprise applications

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Google’s research tool NotebookLM made waves recently for a new feature that lets users generate what sounds a lot like podcasts. But while the company has been adding new features, it’s also seeing more and more use cases in the enterprise arena. 

NotebookLM lets users upload PDFs, websites, Google Docs, Google Slides and paste text into a notebook keeping information in one place. People can also ask Gemini questions about the documents inside the notebook. First launched in July 2023 and generally available in the U.S. since Dec. 2023, NotebookLM has slowly expanded the kinds of files it can read.

However, one use case that has seen an uptick is through corporate teams sharing research and information on NotebookLM. 

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Raiza Martin, product manager at Google handling NotebookLM, told VentureBeat that they’re seeing corporate teams take advantage of the product’s organizational capabilities that let people find the information they need in one place. 

“We saw students using it to accelerate their learning and understanding and analysis, but we also know that the same thing students are doing is the exact same things that professionals are trying to do,” Martin said, adding that over months, Google has seen “an equal, if not larger amount of professionals using NotebookLM.”

Make a podcast to explain your research

Since launching NotebookLM, Google has slowly added new capabilities to the platform. The newest update allows users to generate audio explaining information in the notebook, with two speakers discussing the topic. 

“The conversation style is the first one that we picked because we thought it was novel, and in our early test, it was very engaging. The double speaker dynamic helped people sort of latch on to the content in a totally different way than a single speaker,” Martin said. 

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Google observed users and teams have used NotebookLM to bring together research and analysis, even some other information employees may need to know. One way enterprises can use NotebookLM is as a shortcut to store data that ultimately makes its way to retrieval augmented generative (RAG) search queries. Martin said NotebookLM itself is a RAG tool that benefits from Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro. 

I got to use the audio generation feature early and was able to point it to one of my notebooks. I had given NotebookLM several documents about global AI regulations, such as the text of the European Union’s AI Act. The audio it generated summarized the act, but since the other file in the same notebook was an analytical blog post, the discussion took sides. To me, it sounded a lot like the tech-related podcasts I regularly listen to, without the personal banter between hosts.

Some users have begun posting how they’ve used the audio feature, including explaining code bases. 

It can be used to summarize blog posts as well. 

“This is the first of many formats, but in the future, we’ll give you knobs so you can change the number of speakers, the types of voices used and the content altogether,” said Martin.

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Different use cases for NotebookLM 

Part of the growth of NotebookLM has been users exploring different use cases for it, and Martin said it means it’s usually up to users to figure out how to make it work for them. Some use cases have been very interesting, including a Dungeons and Dragons dungeon master using it to keep track of a campaign. 

“I think there’s still a lot of education in terms of connecting users on how to use the tool and why this type of tool might be valuable, but I would say that I’m really encouraged by the rate at which people are seeing that value and have used NotebookLM,” Martin said. 

Martin said NotebookLM will remain, for now, a standalone tool. However, some of the learnings from the tool could make their way to other Google productivity platforms. 


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