02 Aug Can AI Help Us Connect Better? I Gave It My Book to Find Out

How NotebookLM turned my book into a conversation, and what that means for human connection.

We’re living in a time when human connection is more needed than ever, yet it often feels harder to come by. Many of the tools we use every day are built for efficiency or entertainment, but not necessarily for building deeper relationships. What if emerging technologies could be used to support more meaningful connection instead?

As a keynote speaker and writer focused on social health and real-world connection, I’m always exploring creative ways to invite others into that experience. Recently, I tested a new(ish) tool from Google called NotebookLM. It is designed to work with your own content, such as documents, articles, or in my case, an entire book.

I uploaded my book, Talk2MorePeople: Change Your Life by Meeting People, and let the AI take it from there. What it created in less than 8 minutes genuinely impressed me.

The AI That Reviewed My Book

NotebookLM read and analyzed my entire book and created a 27-minute podcast-style interview based on its contents. It posed and answered questions in a conversational format, referencing ideas, stories, and reflections that I wrote years ago.

Using NotebookLM felt a bit like handing a robot a smoothie made from all my best ideas, only to have it blend everything up and return with a surprisingly thoughtful conversation. It didn’t capture every nuance, and its timing can feel a little stiff at times, but for something that doesn’t experience human life, it did a remarkable job of reflecting the heart of a book about real-world connection.

Why This Matters for Human Connection

This experiment got me thinking about how tools like this might support social health. When used thoughtfully, AI can help surface meaningful ideas, clarify values, and make information easier to share. For example:

• Authors could use it to reflect on their own writing or generate discussion materials

• Educators could use it to make learning resources more engaging

• Readers could interact with content in new and personalized ways

For me personally, it was also helpful because I have not yet recorded the audiobook version of Talk2MorePeople. While that remains a goal, this AI-generated interview offers a way for people to engage with the essence of the book now. Tools like NotebookLM can make content more accessible, especially for those who prefer listening over reading.

Listen to the AI-Generated Interview

If you would like to hear it, you can listen to the full 27-minute audio file created by NotebookLM using the text of my book.

Listen to this YouTube version of it HERE.

In this conversation, the AI explores:

• Why meeting strangers can be life-changing

• The value of small, courageous moments

• What I learned from meeting 550 strangers in one year

• How to apply these lessons in everyday life

Final Thoughts 

While AI will never replace real human connection, it can sometimes help us reflect on it more deeply. This experiment with NotebookLM showed me that technology, when used with intention, can support accessibility, spark new ideas, and help us revisit important messages in a fresh way. It has also inspired me to finally begin recording my Talk2MorePeople audiobook.

If you’re curious about how tools like this might support your own work or relationships, I encourage you to explore them. And if the audio interview leads you to think differently about social health or sparks a meaningful conversation in your life, then it has already done something worthwhile.

Sometimes connection begins with a conversation. And sometimes, unexpectedly (in today’s high-tech world), it can begin with a question asked by a robot.

About the Author

Tony Esteves is The Human Connection Guide, an author, TEDx and keynote speaker on social health and human connection. He works with organizations, conferences, and communities to strengthen wellbeing, collaboration, engagement, and employee retention through research-informed insights and interactive experiences rooted in curiosity and micro-bravery.

Learn more about Tony’s speaking work at TonyEsteves.com
Explore recent podcast interviews and media appearances HERE