I recently heard one of my blog posts read back to me, not by a friend, not by a narrator, but by two AI hosts having a conversation about it.
There was something both surreal and strangely insightful about hearing my own words interpreted, discussed, and responded to… like my blog had come alive.
This was my first experiment with NotebookLM, and it didn’t disappoint.
What Sparked This?
I’ve always been hands-on when it comes to technology. My learning style doesn’t lean theoretical, I have to try it to understand it.
NotebookLM released a feature that turns your uploaded documents into podcast-style conversations. Naturally, I dropped in a few recent blog posts to see what it would generate.
I didn’t tweak any settings. No tone changes. No host selections. I just uploaded, clicked “generate,” and listened.
What came back wasn’t flawless, some points were interpreted differently than I’d intended. But that was kind of the beauty of it. My blog has never been about giving answers. It’s about sparking thoughtful dialogue. And this time, that conversation came from an unexpected place: an AI voice.
What Is NotebookLM?
NotebookLM is a research assistant built by Google. It lets you upload content (blog posts, PDFs, notes, etc.) and ask questions, summarize, or, my favorite, create a podcast-style episode.
The podcast mode features two AI hosts discussing your content, pulling out themes, and even raising questions. It’s not just reading aloud, it’s interpretive, which made for an interesting experience.
I created three “episodes,” each based on my own blog posts:
🎙️ Between Pines and Shorelines: Why We Camp
A reflection on how camping became a way for my wife and me to reconnect, spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. More than a weekend getaway, it’s become a rhythm of retreat.
