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NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

simonwillison.net

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Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#301

Post by sodality2 »

mronetwo wrote: post #292
rafram wrote: post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The one and only point listening to a discussion about anything is that at least one of the speakers is someone who has an opinion that you may find interesting or refutable. No. Maybe that's true for you , but people enjoy learning in different ways, and some people learn best by listening to a discussion.

Unlikely. It's just that our brains are so fried by our smartphones/social media/24h of news/media consumption that we've lost the plot.

And if that means the best way to learn now is podcasts, what do you prefer: not learning, or learning via a way you view as inferior?

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#303

Post by usaar333 »

RobinL wrote: post #291
handelaar wrote: post #277

So basically what you're all saying is how it's technically impressive. Okay. It is also completely and utterly worthless -- an inefficient and slow method of receiving not-very-many words which were written by nobody at all. The one and only point listening to a discussion about anything is that at least one of the speakers is someone who has an opinion that you may find interesting or refutable. There are no opinio…

To take one example of where this is valuable: - Take some dense research paper or other material that is unsuitable for listening to aloud - Listen to it (via NotebookLLM) whilst commuting/washing up or whatever This way you'll have a big headstart on what it's all about when you come to read the details. I imagine in future we'll see a version of this where the listener can interject and ask questions too, that fee…

I tried that with a paper. It emphasized the wrong points and 8 out of 10 minutes were just filler.

I like the idea of audio based formatting, but this particular implementation is quite inefficient

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#304

Post by sodality2 »

redleggedfrog wrote: post #300
sodality2 wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is some insane catastrophizing. The value is that it turns it into a form factor that may be easier to consume, pay attention to, etc.

... insane catastrophizing." Nice unique phrase. Guessing you're not a LLM. ;^) The thing that is being offered is of no interested to me, as are almost any AI generated content. I'm a human, and am interested in what humans do and say and think. AI content offends my sensibilities at every level. I dismiss it without even thinking twice. So all those people who do podcast, music, art, whatever, with AI, well, you lo…

That's fine. To say you don't like something is fine. To say something holds no value is a stronger claim.

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#305

Post by InsideOutSanta »

mdp2021 wrote: post #295
sodality2 wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is some insane catastrophizing. The value is that it turns it into a form factor that may be easier to consume, pay attention to, etc.

Since when industrial snacks are healthy food?

This probably isn't really a good analogy. It's just a fact that for most people, a conversation is more engaging than an academic paper. It's easier to pay attention to it, and it's easier to retain the information in it.

This might be healthy food that tastes like a snack.

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#306

Post by electrondood »

handelaar wrote: post #277

So basically what you're all saying is how it's technically impressive. Okay. It is also completely and utterly worthless -- an inefficient and slow method of receiving not-very-many words which were written by nobody at all. The one and only point listening to a discussion about anything is that at least one of the speakers is someone who has an opinion that you may find interesting or refutable. There are no opinio…

I'm not sure what the name of this fallacy is, but I fall prey to it all the time: the fallacy that everyone else values what you value.

I can't stand fiction. When I read a self-help book, but it's laced with stories, I lose interest. Just state the point.

However, a lot of people find stories engaging and more effective, because they provide an example that they can use to relate to, like a myth.

I don't think this is worthless at all. It wraps information in an engaging presentation.

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#307

Post by [deleted] »

timoth3y wrote: post #21

NotebookLM's is incredibly good at generating the affect and structure of a quality podcast. This is in-line with all art, music, and video created by LMM at the moment. They are imitating a structure and affect, the quality of the content is largely irrelevant. I think the interesting thing is that most people don't really care, and AI is not to blame for that. Most books published today have the affect of a book, b…

[deleted]

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#308

Post by mdp2021 »

sodality2 wrote: post #299
mdp2021 wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since when industrial snacks are healthy food?

Conversational audio form is really not an "industrial snack". If I had the chance to listen to podcasts about any topic, I would do so much more often - uploading PDFs of academic papers, manpages, etc.

Yes, but should not you wait for the generated content - the text - to be at proper level? We have "Francis Fukuyama vs John Grey" available...

If the purpose is serious, of information access management, why did they elect the form of a pisstake ("like")?

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#309

Post by GTP »

handelaar wrote: post #277

So basically what you're all saying is how it's technically impressive. Okay. It is also completely and utterly worthless -- an inefficient and slow method of receiving not-very-many words which were written by nobody at all. The one and only point listening to a discussion about anything is that at least one of the speakers is someone who has an opinion that you may find interesting or refutable. There are no opinio…

I often listen to podcasts when I go out for a walk. If this really works as advertised, it could be a chance to revise some material while I'm enjoying the weather (or, in this season, the rain... But you got my point).

Re: NotebookLM's automatically generated podcasts are surprisingly effective

#310

Post by ZeroGravitas »

handelaar wrote: post #277

So basically what you're all saying is how it's technically impressive. Okay. It is also completely and utterly worthless -- an inefficient and slow method of receiving not-very-many words which were written by nobody at all. The one and only point listening to a discussion about anything is that at least one of the speakers is someone who has an opinion that you may find interesting or refutable. There are no opinio…

I feel like this is also exposing the same fundamental flaw with human created content of a similar nature.

Two attractive human "journalists" with nice speaking voices and fake rapport reading a script that was written for them is not really far off this.

I was about to say the only real benefit is that the AI voices won't start running for Congress on authoritarian lies or peddling anti-vax takes as the next step in their career, but thinking about it they probably already are being used for this already.

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