Gemini AI & NotebookLM – An Introduction

For the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) community, integrating Gemini AI and NotebookLM can create a “Smart Ummah” ecosystem. This combination transforms Google Workspace into an intelligent research and administrative engine.

 
1. Gemini AI: An Integrated Institutional Assistant

Gemini acts as a “digital companion” woven directly into Gmail, Docs, Slides, and Sheets, allowing IIUM staff and students to act on information without leaving their primary workspace.

  • For Administration & Staff:
    • Email Management: Use “Help Me Write” in Gmail to summarize long administrative threads or draft formal memos.
    • Data Analysis: In Google Sheets, Gemini can generate tables, categorize survey data, or suggest formulas for departmental budgets.
    • Meeting Automation: Google Meet can auto-generate meeting notes and action items.

    • Slide Design: Create slides with text prompts, slide images and infographics
    • Documentation: Document drafting, key-point synthesis, extract summaries.

  • For Lecturers:
    • Lesson Architecture: In Google Docs, Gemini can draft entire lesson plans, differentiating content for different student levels.
    • Visual Storytelling: Create images directly in Google Slides to explain concepts visually.
    • Feedback Loops: Draft personalized feedback for student assignments.
    • High-powered Digital Assistant: Automated administrative tasks, enhancing data analysis & visualization, planning, streamlined communication & feedback. 
 

2. NotebookLM: A Research Tool for IIUM Academics

NotebookLM is a research tool that uses the documents you provide (PDFs, transcripts, websites).

  • For Postgraduate Researchers & Lecturers:
    • Source Synthesis: Upload research papers into a single notebook to identify thematic gaps or synthesize arguments.
    • Verifiable Insights: Every response includes inline citations that link to specific paragraphs in your sources.
    • Deep Research: Use the “Deep Research” feature to uncover patterns across literature.

    • Proofread: Proofread written article for journal and conference papers.

  • For 3rd & 4th Year Students:
    • Study Guides & Flashcards: Turn lecture notes into flashcards and quizzes for exam preparation.
    • Audio Overviews: Convert readings into a podcast-style “Audio Overview.”
    • Interactive Mind Maps: Visualize how different theories or legal precedents interconnect through auto-generated mind maps.