Claude and NotebookLM proved that AI research isn't the gimmick I thought it was
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Can't believe the tools I rolled my eyes at are now the ones I can't work without.
By Mahnoor Faisal Published Apr 3, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT Mahnoor Faisal is a tech journalist covering AI and productivity tools with bylines at XDA, SlashGear, MakeUseOf, Laptop Mag, and Android Police. She's been writing professionally since she was sixteen, and has since penned hundreds of articles. This includes in-depth coverage of AI tools like NotebookLM to breaking news across the AI space. Her passion for technology started when she received her first iPod Touch (4th generation) on her 8th birthday, and she's been deep in the tech world ever since. Currently pursuing a degree in computer science, Mahnoor brings both a journalist's eye and a technical foundation to her coverage of how AI is reshaping the way we work and learn. Sign in to your XDA account A couple of days ago, I asked someone how they research things. The answer came almost instantly: "I just ask ChatGPT." Without really being able to control myself, I rolled my eyes (but not for the reason I would have a year ago). Back then, it would have been the "AI" part that really got me. The entire premise of trusting AI with something as important as research felt reckless. This time, though, it was the ChatGPT bit. I simply couldn't grasp why someone would still rely exclusively on ChatGPT and not even explore what else is out there. Two of the tools that finally made me believe that AI research isn't just a gimmick are Google's NotebookLM and Anthropic's Claude, especially when you use the two together. Noteb...