Google Testing AI-Powered Daily Listen Feature
Google is testing a new AI-powered feature, Daily Listen, which provides users with a personalized five-minute audio summary of news stories and topics of interest. The feature is designed to cater to individual preferences based on users' Discover feed and news searches.
Daily Listen: Key Features
The AI-generated audio overview includes:
- A short news summary tailored to the user’s interests.
- A transcript of the audio, paired with cover art for context.
- Compatibility with both Android and iOS devices in the US.
Enabling the Feature
To enable the feature, users can:
- Navigate to the Search Labs section in the Google app by tapping the triangular beaker icon at the top-left corner.
- Once enabled, the Daily Listen card labeled "Made for you" appears under the Space carousel beneath the Google Search bar.
User Interaction and Feedback
The feature provides interactive controls to:
- Play
- Pause
- Rewind
- Mute the audio
Users can also offer feedback by rating the content with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.
Expanding AI Audio Tools
Google has been actively enhancing its AI audio capabilities:
- September 2024: Launched NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews, which use AI to transform documents into 10-minute podcasts. These podcasts feature AI hosts that can:
- Summarize uploaded content
- Draw connections between topics
- Engage in interactive discussions with users
- Recent Upgrades: Google introduced an upgrade to the Audio Overviews feature, allowing users to join the conversation by “calling in” to the podcast. This enables users to ask AI hosts for alternative explanations or additional information.
AI as a Personalized Assistant
Google aims to position its AI tools as virtual tutors or guides that adapt to individual user needs. Powered by Gemini 1.5 Pro and the experimental Gemini 2.0 Flash, these AI features strive to enhance user engagement by making learning and information retrieval more interactive.
