Google has launched a new feature called Daily Listen as part of its Search Labs program. This feature turns your Google Discover feed into a personalized, AI-generated podcast. It provides users with a quick, five-minute audio summary of the news and topics they care about, based on their search history and Discover feed.
How Does Daily Listen Work?
Daily Listen uses Google’s AI to analyze what users are interested in and creates a short, daily podcast episode. It pulls real-time information from your Google Discover feed. Once activated, the feature shows up as a widget in the Google app on both Android and iOS, just below the search bar. To use it, you need to join Search Labs in the Google app.
User Experience
When you turn on Daily Listen, you get a daily audio summary of the top stories and headlines that match your interests. The podcast includes:
- Verbal narration of the news.
- A text transcript to read along if you prefer.
- Links to “Related Stories” at the end of each episode, so you can explore more topics.
The interface works like a regular podcast player, where you can play, pause, and skip through the audio. You can also give feedback using thumbs up or thumbs down to help improve future episodes.
AI and Personalization
Daily Listen is powered by generative AI, which creates the news summary and narration. It’s still in the experimental phase, so sometimes the AI may not be completely accurate. Google is testing how the technology can make news more personalized and engaging, while also learning from user feedback to improve over time.
Availability and Future Plans
Currently, Daily Listen is available only in the U.S. for users who are part of Search Labs. Google is rolling it out slowly to test how well it works and gather feedback. The goal is to make news consumption more interactive and tailored to individual preferences in the future, possibly reducing the need to read multiple articles.
This new feature hints at the future of personalized, audio-based news consumption, where content is delivered in a way that suits each person’s unique interests.