According to XDA-Developers, Google added Deep Research directly to NotebookLM on November 13th with two research style options: Fast Research for quick searches and Deep Research for comprehensive analysis. The feature searches across tens to hundreds of websites including community forums like Reddit, presenting an in-depth research plan before execution and generating full reports with multiple sections. However, unlike Gemini’s Deep Research which can draw context from Gmail and Google Drive, NotebookLM’s version lacks these crucial integrations. Users also can’t export reports properly or easily vet sources within the interface, creating significant workflow friction despite the tool’s otherwise impressive feature history.
The identity crisis nobody asked for
Here’s the thing about NotebookLM – its entire appeal was being different from other AI tools. It stayed focused on your sources, grounding everything in what you uploaded. That’s what made it feel dependable when other AI assistants were hallucinating left and right. But now Deep Research is front and center in the Sources panel, pushing external web searches to the forefront. It’s like inviting a noisy neighbor into your carefully organized library. The placement makes it impossible to ignore, even if you just want to work with your uploaded documents.
A surprisingly clunky workflow
When Deep Research finishes its work, it lists all the sources it found with checkboxes to add them to your notebook. Sounds convenient, right? Except you can’t actually view these sources within NotebookLM itself. You have to open each one in a separate tab to vet them properly. So you’re constantly switching between tabs just to figure out if a source is actually credible or relevant. And speaking of credibility – I’ve seen Deep Research cite Wikipedia, outdated articles, and sources that barely touch on the actual topic. Basically, you’re doing extra work to clean up after the AI.
The integrations that should have been there
Now here’s what really gets me. Earlier this month, Google announced that Gemini’s Deep Research can draw context from Gmail and Google Drive. That’s exactly what NotebookLM’s version should have launched with! Imagine being able to run deep research that analyzes your team’s brainstorming docs, email threads, and project plans alongside web data. That would have strengthened NotebookLM’s core identity instead of pulling it in a different direction. But we got markdown files you can’t even export properly instead.
Why this feels half-baked
Look, I get that Google wants to keep adding features. But Deep Research in NotebookLM feels like it shipped before it was truly ready. You can’t export the reports it generates – they’re stuck as markdown files within the interface. Sure, you can copy and paste into Google Docs, but the formatting gets messed up and you have to clean it up manually. These might seem like minor annoyances, but they add up to create unnecessary friction. When every other major AI tool has polished Deep Research features, why does NotebookLM’s version feel like an afterthought?
There’s still hope though
Given NotebookLM’s track record with features like Slides and Infographics, I’m reasonably confident Google will improve this. The potential is definitely there for Deep Research to complement NotebookLM’s strengths rather than compromise them. But right now, it feels like a feature that’s drifting away from what made the tool unique in the first place. Until it better integrates with your own sources and streamlines the workflow, NotebookLM’s identity as a source-grounded research assistant remains somewhat compromised. And that’s a shame, because we need more tools that actually help us work smarter, not just add more features for the sake of it.
