Prime Highlights:
Daily Listen converts users’ Search and Discover feed history into personalized audio summaries.
It also creates a five-minute podcast-style overview of relevant topics.
Key Background:
Google is now experimenting with a new feature called Daily Listen, which transforms users’ personalized Search and Discover feed history into AI-generated audio podcasts. The feature, currently being tested via Google’s Search Labs, is available to Android and iOS users in the United States.
Daily Listen works by analyzing the user’s search history and interactions with the Discover feed to curate a selection of news articles and topics that might interest them. It then synthesizes these into a concise, roughly five-minute audio summary. This feature aims to offer a personalized, hands-free way for users to catch up on the latest news and trends related to their interests.
The audio player includes essential features, such as playback controls, allowing users to pause, rewind, skip, or mute content. Additionally, a text transcript of the podcast is available, offering a full-text summary of the discussed topics. A “Related Stories” tab appears at the bottom of the player, where users can engage with content by liking or disliking specific topics. This also provides users with an opportunity to explore new areas of interest.
To access the Daily Listen feature, users must opt-in via the Google app, where it will appear within the personalized widget carousel located just below the Search bar. It provides an innovative way to consume news tailored to users’ preferences, whether they are on the go or multitasking.
Currently, there is no information on when the feature will be publicly available, but its rollout in Search Labs suggests that it could eventually be expanded to a broader audience. Google has previously tested AI-powered features, such as its Search Overviews, through similar testing phases, so it is possible that Daily Listen may become a permanent addition to the Google ecosystem in the future. For now, users in the United States can enjoy this experimental feature, with hopes that Google will provide more control over participation in future AI-driven tools.
