Google renames NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, adds code execution

Google announced Thursday that NotebookLM, its AI-powered note-taking application, is being renamed Gemini Notebook. The rebrand marks a shift in the company's product strategy: while the app will retain its independent identity, it will now integrate more tightly with Gemini, Google's AI assistant, and with Google Search.

NotebookLM itself has a relatively short history. Google first revealed the product as Project Tailwind in May 2023 and then released it more widely to the public just months later. Over the ensuing years, Google steadily expanded its capabilities. The app can now summarize notes into AI-generated podcasts with narration, create slideshows, and produce short-form video clips in the style of TikTok. More recently, Google began allowing users to link their notebooks directly to the Gemini app, and the company plans to extend this integration further by bringing notebooks into AI Mode—the conversational, chatbot-like search experience within Google Search.

Concurrently with the rebrand, Google is rolling out a feature that was first announced last month: the ability for Gemini Notebook to connect to a secure cloud computer for writing and executing code. This capability opens the door for technical users to test algorithms, process data, and run scripts without leaving their notebooks. The feature is currently available to Google AI Ultra subscribers and Workspace business customers. Google says it will expand access to Pro users accessing the app on the web over the coming weeks.

Google's decision to rebrand NotebookLM as Gemini Notebook reflects a broader strategy of consolidating its AI products under the Gemini umbrella. The app, originally revealed as Project Tailwind in May 2023 before wider release months later, has steadily accumulated features that transform raw notes into multimedia summaries—podcasts, slideshows, and video clips. By renaming it and deepening its integration with Gemini and Google Search, the company is signaling that note-taking and AI assistance are no longer separate functions but part of a unified AI experience.

The addition of code-execution capability—allowing users to write and run code via a secure cloud computer—extends the app's utility beyond note organization into technical work and data analysis. By rolling this feature to Google AI Ultra and Workspace business customers first, Google is targeting professionals who likely have the most immediate use for executable notebooks. The staggered rollout to Pro users over the coming weeks suggests the feature may still be in stabilization.

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