In its ongoing mission to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday digital experiences, Google has unveiled a new experimental feature that transforms select search queries into short, podcast-style audio explanations. Called Audio Overviews, the feature is currently available through Google Labs, the company’s testing platform for early access to upcoming innovations.

Powered by Google's advanced Gemini models, Audio Overviews are designed to make information consumption more flexible and accessible, especially for users who prefer audio content or are multitasking. According to Google, this functionality "can help you get a lay of the land, offering a convenient, hands-free way to absorb information whether you’re multitasking or simply prefer an audio experience.”

The Audio Overviews work by generating conversational summaries lasting between 30 and 45 seconds. These are triggered for specific queries, such as “how do noise cancellation headphones work.” When such a query is detected, users will see a “Generate Audio Overview” button after scrolling slightly on the results page.

Once clicked, it may take up to 40 seconds for the AI to craft and produce the clip. The audio is then played through a straightforward interface that includes play/pause functions, volume adjustment, a mute toggle, and options to control playback speed—from as slow as 0.25x to a speedy 2x.

In a nod to its NotebookLM feature, which already includes AI-driven audio summaries, the Audio Overviews involve two AI-generated hosts who engage in a conversational back-and-forth about the topic, making the experience more engaging and easier to understand.

In addition to listening, users can explore more detailed information through related links shown within the audio player. This combination of audio and web content helps listeners validate facts and dive deeper into topics of interest.

As of now, Audio Overviews are only accessible to users in the United States and are not available for all queries. To try it out, users can visit labs.google.com and opt into the feature from the available experiments.

Google’s move reflects a broader trend in search innovation, offering users more dynamic and personalised ways to engage with information in an increasingly audio-first digital environment.