The World Academy of Art and Science is leveraging new AI software, Google Notebook LM, to transform its decades-old archive of PDF documents into compelling podcasts.
This innovative approach offers a glimpse into how AI can preserve history and illuminate its relevance to the present. The sample below was generated by uploading six scanned archive papers in PDF form, that relate to correspondence between Dr. John McHale the Honorary Secretary of the American Division of WAAS, WAAS publisher Dr. W Junk in the Netherlands, WAAS Charter Members Boris Pregel, WAAS President Stuart Mudd, and a WAAS year book entry and newsletter. Google AI did the rest:
WAAS’s archive, held at Yale University in New Haven, North of New York, are a treasure trove of research papers, meeting transcripts, and visionary pronouncements on topics ranging from global governance to the future of education, represents a significant intellectual legacy. Yet, its sheer volume and format – a vast collection of PDF files – presented a formidable challenge. Grant Schreiber, WAAS’s General Manager, recognized the potential of this archive but sought a way to transcend the limitations of traditional research methods. He sought a dynamic platform that could synthesize the complex ideas contained within these documents and make them accessible to a wider audience.
Google Notebook LM is a powerful AI, designed for research and knowledge synthesis, is proving to be more than just a digital archivist. Its ability to process and analyze vast quantities of textual data, understand nuanced language, and identify connections between disparate concepts is transforming this WAAS project. The AI acts as a sophisticated research assistant, sifting through the archives to identify key themes, trace the evolution of thought within the WAAS community, and even suggest potential interview questions for the podcast. Its ability to connect related ideas across multiple documents, a key strength of NotebookLM, is proving invaluable in weaving together the threads of WAAS’s intellectual history.
