AI Training Library · Module 05

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AI Library · Module 05

Your stuff.
Cited answers.

Most AI tools answer from the internet. NotebookLM only answers from documents you upload — and it cites every claim. The most underused tool for small business owners.
What this module covers

Constrained queries. No hallucinations. Just your material.

NotebookLM is Google's underrated answer to "I know we wrote that down somewhere." Upload up to 50 sources per notebook — PDFs, Google Docs, websites, YouTube videos, audio files, pasted text — then ask questions across all of them. Every answer cites which source it came from. Free with a Google account.

What it is Constrained queries

NotebookLM (notebooklm.google.com — free with a Google account) lets you upload up to 50 sources per notebook. Then you ask questions across all of them at once.

It will not invent answers. Every response cites which source it pulled from. This is called a constrained query — the AI is locked to your material. No hallucinations. No outdated training data. Just your stuff, organized and searchable in plain English.

Open NotebookLM
Use cases What to put in your first notebook
  • All your SOPs and training docs — ask "what's our policy on refunds?"
  • Customer support emails or transcripts — ask "what are the top 5 complaints we get?"
  • Vendor contracts and agreements — ask "when does each contract renew?"
  • Sales call recordings or transcripts — ask "what objections come up most often?"
  • Industry reports and competitor sites — ask "what are the three biggest trends?"
  • Old emails and meeting notes — ask "what did we decide about [X] and when?"

If you've ever thought "I know we wrote that down somewhere," NotebookLM is the fix.

Pre-defined outputs The buttons in the sidebar

NotebookLM has built-in formats that turn your sources into something usable without writing a prompt. Click and go:

  • Briefing Doc — executive summary of everything you uploaded
  • Study Guide — Q&A format, useful for training new hires
  • FAQ — auto-generated frequently asked questions with answers
  • Timeline — chronological view across your sources
  • Mind Map — visual breakdown of the main topics
  • Audio Overview — two AI hosts discuss your documents in a podcast-style conversation (genuinely useful for absorbing dense material while driving)
Prompt 01 Find patterns across your sources
Look across all the sources I uploaded. What are the 5 most common themes, problems, or questions that show up? For each one, cite which sources mentioned it.
Prompt 02 Build an SOP from existing material
Using only the documents I uploaded, write a clear step-by-step standard operating procedure for [task]. Use plain language. Cite which source each step came from.
Prompt 03 Turn customer feedback into action
Read all the customer feedback in these sources. Group the comments into themes. For each theme, tell me: how often it came up, what specifically customers said (with quotes), and what action I could take to address it.
Prompt 04 Onboard a new hire
I'm hiring someone new for [role]. Based on the documents here, write a one-page onboarding doc that covers what they need to know in their first week. Include the most important policies, tools, and contacts.
Prompt 05 Pull contract terms across vendors
For each contract or agreement I uploaded, give me: vendor name, what we pay them, the renewal date, the cancellation terms, and any auto-renewal clauses. Format as a table.
Starter exercise Your first 10-minute notebook
  1. Open notebooklm.google.com. Click "+ New notebook."
  2. Upload 5 documents you already have. Pick anything: vendor contracts, customer emails, old training docs.
  3. Click "Briefing Doc" in the sidebar. Wait 30 seconds.
  4. Read what comes back. You'll find at least one thing you forgot was in those documents.
  5. Click "Audio Overview." Generate the podcast. Listen on your next drive.

That's it. You'll get the value before you finish the coffee you started this exercise with.