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This Week in Startups

AI-Powered "Tools for Thought": Exploring NotebookLM with Steven Berlin Johnson | E1869

This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanis

Technology

4.21.4K Ratings

🗓️ 20 December 2023

⏱️ 62 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This Week in Startups is brought to you by…

DevSquad. Most dev agencies only offer developers. Why? Because product management is hard. Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

LinkedIn Marketing. To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign, go to linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

Fitbod. Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym? Fitbod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set. Get 25% off your subscription or try out the app for FREE when you sign up now at fitbod.me/TWIST

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Today’s show:

Steven Berlin Johnson joins Jason to demo Google’s NotebookLM, a new AI-powered research assistant he helped create at Google Labs. They dive into Steven’s journey to Google Labs (1:28), NotebookLM's unique features (14:09), the rights of authors in the digital age (40:22), and more!

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Timestamps:

(0:00) Author Steven Berlin Johnson joins Jason

(1:28) Early experiences with the internet and Google’s Project Starline

(8:01) DevSquad - Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer plus 10% off at http://devsquad.com/twist

(9:00) The significance of document organization, the concept and features of "sources" in NotebookLM, and the impact on writing (14:09) Steven demos Google NotebookLM

(28:06) LinkedIn Marketing - Get a $100 LinkedIn ad credit at https://linkedin.com/thisweekinstartups

(29:36) Steven’s NotebookLM demo continued

(33:47) Jason showcases how he utilizes NotebookLM for TWiST's Business Breakdowns segment

(38:56) Fitbod - Get 25% off at https://fitbod.me/twist

(40:22) The rights of authors in the digital age

(52:01) Superintelligence and the trajectory of language models

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Links: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/writing-at-the-speed-of-thought-21dfb7f689e4https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/good-ideas-the-four-minute-version-7e7856e69621https://www.wired.com/story/googles-notebooklm-ai-ultimate-writing-assistant/

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Follow Steven: https://twitter.com/stevenbjohnson Check out Steven’s website: https://stevenberlinjohnson.com/ Check out Steven’s podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-innovations/id1370092284

Follow Jason:

X: https://twitter.com/jason

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis

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Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland

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Check out Jason’s suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis

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Follow TWiST:

Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin

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Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

So I wrote this book called The Ghost Map.

0:01.3

And so I would often start off just to figure out where Bard was today.

0:04.1

I would be like, hey, let's talk about Stephen Johnson's book, The Ghost Map.

0:07.5

And so one time I did it and Bard came back.

0:10.5

I was like, oh, I would like to talk about that.

0:12.3

That's a thrilling medical mystery set in

0:14.3

1854 London about the Dr. John Snow and his investigation and it's a tale that weaves together

0:18.9

a number of different themes. And I finally got to the end of it. I was like, oh, well, thank you very much. I'm actually the author of that book. And then said, oh, I'm so excited to meet you, Mr. Johnson.

0:31.0

Wow. I had any idea, I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you and I was like, that's fine,

0:37.0

there's no way you could have recognized you, right?

0:39.0

It was just one of those moments where I was like, what is even going on?

0:42.0

This week in startups is brought to you by

0:44.4

Dev Squad. Most Dev agencies only offer developers.

0:48.8

Why? Because product management is hard.

0:52.0

Get an entire product team for the cost of one US developer

0:56.4

plus 10% off at Dev Squad.com slash Twist.

1:01.5

LinkedIn marketing.

1:03.0

To redeem a $100 LinkedIn ad credit and launch your first campaign,

1:07.1

go to LinkedIn.com slash This Week in Startups.

1:10.9

And FitBot, tired of doing the same workouts at the gym. startups and fit bod.

1:13.0

Tired of doing the same workouts at the gym,

1:15.0

fit bod will build you personalized workouts that help you progress with every set.

...

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