Google renames NotebookLM to “Gemini Notebook,” adds ability to run code inside its AI research tool

Google is rebranding its NotebookLM AI research product as Gemini Notebook, positioning the update as more than a name change. In a post on its Google Blog, the company said the service will keep operating as a primary research workspace, but will also expand its reach across Google’s Gemini ecosystem, including syncing across apps and Google Search.

The company described Gemini Notebook as “the same standalone product,” but with deeper Google integration. Users will be able to run code directly within their notebooks, with Google framing the change as a way to support more complex data analysis that is grounded in the user’s sources, rather than relying on purely text-based summaries.

A key feature update is the introduction of what Google called a secure cloud computer for notebooks. Google said this component enables Gemini Notebook to write and execute code natively, which it said can help users conduct complex data analysis grounded in their sources. Google said the capability is available immediately for Google AI Ultra users and for Workspace business customers with AI Ultra Access and AI Expanded Access.

Google also outlined a phased rollout for the feature. It said the secure cloud computer and associated notebook capabilities will roll out to all Pro users on the web over the coming weeks. The company linked the update to “entirely new output formats and deeper analysis,” but did not provide further detail on specific formats, timelines beyond “coming weeks,” or limitations that may apply by plan.

The relaunch extends beyond code execution. Google said Gemini Notebook will sync across the Gemini app and its standalone notebook experience, letting users access and create notebooks in multiple places. It said the notebooks can already be used inside the Gemini app with cross-app syncing, and that Google plans to bring notebooks into “AI Mode in Search” soon, expanding where users can retrieve and work with their research notes.

Google also provided product context for the rebrand. It said NotebookLM was introduced at Google I/O 2023 as Project Tailwind, with a stated goal of helping people learn. Google said more than 30 million people and over 600,000 organizations are using the product, citing those adoption figures as the basis for the next step in expanding the notebook experience.

The company’s messaging suggests it sees notebook workflows as a bridge between reading and analysis. In plain terms, a notebook typically captures notes, sources, and intermediate steps in a single place. By adding code execution inside that same environment, Google is aiming to let users move from summarizing information to transforming it, testing assumptions, and producing more structured results without switching tools.

From a market perspective, the update reflects a broader push among AI platforms to add “agentic” or tool-using capabilities that go beyond chat. Google’s emphasis on a secure cloud computer indicates an attempt to balance flexibility with guardrails, at least at the architectural level, since code execution can raise questions around security, privacy, and controllability.

Still, some specifics remain unclear based on what Google disclosed. The announcement did not describe how the secure cloud computer is isolated from user data, what permissions or sandboxing models are used, how code outputs are validated, or what categories of analysis are supported in practice. It also did not detail which parts of the existing NotebookLM feature set remain unchanged versus what may shift as the product migrates to Gemini naming and deeper ecosystem features.