In a groundbreaking development, Google LLC has unveiled its latest experiment under the Search Labs umbrella, titled "Daily Listen," which is set to revolutionize how users consume news. This feature creates personalized daily audio summaries of news, tailored to users' interests.

According to reports from 9to5Google, Daily Listen utilizes artificial intelligence to generate audio overviews that appear in the Space carousel just below the search bar in the Google app, available for both Android and iOS devices. Users can easily access their daily digest by tapping on the Daily Listen card, which takes them to a full-screen audio player. Here, they can immerse themselves in a concise five-minute summary covering the key headlines and stories related to their interests.

Some notable features of Daily Listen include a text transcript that accompanies the audio, along with appealing cover art. The playback controls offer a variety of options, such as play, pause, a 10-second rewind feature, skipping to the next story, adjusting playback speed, and muting for those who prefer reading the transcript instead of listening. Additionally, users can explore related stories at the bottom and have the option to dive deeper into their topics of interest.

Currently, Daily Listen has begun its rollout in the U.S., although access appears to be limited at this stage. For eager users wanting to participate, they can enroll in this experiment by launching the Google app and selecting the Labs icon situated at the top of the screen. After opting in, they will have to wait approximately 24 hours before receiving their first Daily Listen audio update.

Interestingly, while tech enthusiasts are still awaiting their turn to experience this new service, it bears similarities to Google’s previous innovation, NotebookLM. Launched last year, NotebookLM allows users to compile data from various sources, including links and videos, transforming this information into a podcast format featuring AI-generated voices discussing the content.

Currently, Daily Listen does not provide customization options, uniquely generating audio content based on what users typically read or follow. However, this isn’t completely unprecedented. Eleven Labs Inc., an AI-generated speech startup, has previously introduced a product called GenFM that serves a similar purpose. GenFM can create podcasts from various formats, including PDFs, news articles, and ebooks, and it remains freely accessible to both iOS and Android users.

With the growing trend of audio-centric content consumption, Google’s Daily Listen is poised to offer users a convenient, hands-free way to stay informed about the news that matters to them. Are you ready to experience the future of news updates? Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the world of technology!