Set AI personas & response formats with Custom Instructions | Alpha | PandaiTech

Set AI personas & response formats with Custom Instructions

How to configure NotebookLM roles (e.g., acting as a research analyst) and response lengths to get more in-depth and specific answers.

Learning Timeline
Key Insights

The Benefits of Using Custom Mode

Most users stick to the 'Default' mode, which often results in generic AI responses. By defining a specific persona, the AI provides more focused answers optimized for your specific workflow context.

Configuration Efficiency Tips

You only need to set these Custom Instructions once per notebook. These settings are 'Set and Forget' and will influence every future chat interaction within that notebook.
Prompts

AI Persona Setup Example

Target: NotebookLM Custom Instructions
Research analyst focused on AI safety and alignment debates.
Step by Step

How to Set Custom Instructions in NotebookLM

  1. Open the NotebookLM dashboard and select the notebook you want to configure.
  2. Find the interaction settings or 'Custom Instructions' section in the chat panel.
  3. Click on the 'Set conversational goal' option.
  4. Select 'Custom' mode from the list of options (Default, Learning Guide, Custom).
  5. Enter a specific AI role in the text box provided (e.g., Research Analyst).
  6. Choose your preferred 'Response Length' by clicking 'Longer' for more in-depth and detailed answers.
  7. Click the 'Save' button to activate the settings for the entire notebook.