Google has added a new feature to NotebookLM that turns messy research into something you can actually use. The company launched Data Tables, a tool that pulls information from multiple sources and automatically organizes it into clean, structured tables that can be exported directly to Google Sheets for further editing, sharing, or use in Google Docs.
NotebookLM has always been about using AI to help users understand scattered notes, PDFs, and documents. Data Tables builds on this idea by taking on one of the most time-consuming parts of research, manual organization.
Instead of copying and pasting information into spreadsheets, users can now ask NotebookLM in plain text to create a table with specific rows and columns based on their sources. The result is a structured overview that can be exported and further edited in Sheets.
Using NotebookLM to organize scattered information
The feature is located in the Studio panel on the right side of NotebookLM. Like other tools in the app, users can select a preferred language and describe their desires in natural language before creating a table.
Once created, users can view the prompt, export the spreadsheet to Google Sheets, or delete it. However, the tables themselves in NotebookLM are not interactive, meaning changes must be made after exporting or by generating a new table.
According to Google, data tables can be used in a variety of real-world scenarios. You could convert meeting minutes into a table with action items sorted by owner and priority, create competitor comparison tables that break down pricing and strategy, or combine results from multiple research papers into a single view.
Students can create study tables of historical events organized by date, key numbers and outcomes, while travelers can compare destinations, best times to visit and estimated costs all in one place. Data tables are now available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. A more comprehensive rollout for all users is planned in the coming weeks.
The update follows Google’s recent addition of Deep Research mode and other storage and research upgrades to NotebookLM. Taken together, these changes underscore Google’s efforts to transform the tool into a more powerful research and synthesis workspace, rather than just an AI note-taking assistant.
