In this deeply personal episode, I share the story of a chaotic week, mounting pressure, and a craving for Sonic fries. But more importantly, I take you inside the quiet tool I built—an AI Thought Organizer.

It didn’t coach me. It didn’t solve anything. It just… reflected what I was already feeling.

Inside the episode:

• The emotional spiral that led to this tool
• How I built it (yes, with code—but it’s not technical)
• Why the laugh that followed changed everything
• What this experience taught me about overwhelm, clarity, and AI

Whether you're a builder, creator, or someone looking for a new kind of peace—you’ll want to hear this.

🛠 Full blog and source code:

1] Medium: https://medium.com/data-science-collective/i-fed-my-thoughts-to-an-ai-and-it-helped-me-breathe-again-c9796f17c791

2] Website: https://mukundansankar.substack.com/p/i-fed-my-thoughts-to-an-ai-and-it

🍟 Craving fries after listening? You’re not alone.

Takeaways

Many data professionals struggle with knowing where to start with new datasets.

Asking the right questions is crucial for effective data analysis.

The AI tool summarizes data and generates exploratory questions.

Real-world data analysis is often messier than textbook examples.

The tool is designed to help users gain analytical momentum.

It can be beneficial for new hires, students, and experienced analysts alike.

The tool is not a replacement for deep thinking but a partner for better thinking.

Users have reported increased confidence when using the tool for interviews.

Future developments include adding visualization support and custom question tones.

Better questions lead to better insights and career growth.

Medium Blog: https://medium.com/data-science-collective/how-i-built-an-ai-that-thinks-like-a-data-analyst-69fba12ad08d

Free Blog: https://mukundansankar.substack.com/p/how-i-built-an-ai-that-thinks-like

Takeaways

Automating presentations can enhance storytelling with data.

Traditional Jupyter notebooks often lack narrative flow.

The app allows users to upload notebooks for instant presentation creation.

AI-generated content can significantly reduce preparation time.

Effective communication is crucial for success in data roles.

The app provides a strong foundation for presentations.

Real-world use cases include students and data analysts.

Future plans include more diagram types and voice narration.

The project is open source and encourages collaboration.

The tool is designed for anyone in the data field.

Free Blog: https://mukundansankar.substack.com/p/beyond-the-notebook-how-to-turn-any

Medium Users: https://medium.com/data-science-collective/beyond-the-notebook-how-to-turn-any-data-science-jupyter-notebook-into-stunning-animated-slide-e738bebc195e

Takeaways

Code2Story Pro turns Python code into engaging blog posts.

Traditional documentation methods are often insufficient.

Effective communication of code is crucial for collaboration.

The tool allows users to select tone and emotion for their writing.

Mukund built the tool out of frustration with documentation.

The technical setup involves Streamlit and OpenAI's GPT-4.

Users can generate blog posts in under 30 seconds.

Future updates will include file uploads and image generation.

The tool is aimed at helping developers share their work easily.

Storytelling in coding can enhance career opportunities.

Blog: https://medium.com/data-science-collective/i-built-an-ai-tool-that-turns-any-python-code-into-an-emotionally-engaging-blog-post-f6d14daeddbd

Website: Subscribe for free access to the code: https://mukundansankar.substack.com/

Summary

In this episode, Mukund Sankar discusses the development of his AI reflection system, Reflection OS, which aims to provide emotional clarity and productivity support. He shares his personal struggles with time management and emotional burnout, leading to the creation of a tool that acts as a compassionate mirror for self-reflection. The conversation explores the technology behind the app, its purpose in building emotional habits, and future plans for community engagement and beta testing.

Blog:

https://medium.com/data-science-collective/i-built-an-ai-app-that-reflects-my-feelings-not-just-my-output-2a40c275243d

Website:

https://mukundansankar.substack.com/

Takeaways

Feedback is crucial for growth but often lacking.

Visual storytelling can enhance understanding.

Long explanations may not be effective in busy environments.

Tools like Code to Story can simplify complex ideas.

People prefer quick, visual information over lengthy texts.

The development process can be messy but rewarding.

Understanding your audience's time constraints is key.

Visual aids can significantly improve communication.

Building something understandable is more important than perfection.

Let your work speak for itself through visuals.

Blog that shows you how to do this yourself: https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/how-to-instantly-explain-your-code-with-visuals-powered-by-gpt-4-bc379985f43f

Subscribe to my Substack for updates on the course: https://mukundansankar.substack.com/

Takeaways

Explaining your work is often more challenging than the work itself.

Many analysts struggle to communicate their logic and findings.

Storytelling is a crucial skill for career advancement in tech.

Code2Story was created to help analysts articulate their work better.

The tool transforms code into a narrative that is easier to understand.

Anyone who writes code can benefit from using Code2Story.

The app is not just for engineers but for all who need to explain their work.

Storytelling can elevate the perception of your work beyond just numbers.

The process of using Code2Story is simple and accessible.

This tool represents a shift towards valuing communication in technical fields.

Blog with Full code: https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/i-built-an-ai-that-turns-side-projects-into-stories-that-get-you-hired-f51cac9e1a32

Summary

In this episode, Mukund Sankar shares a personal story about how a midnight craving led him to create an app that helps him reflect on his emotions rather than just satisfy his hunger. He discusses the impact of emotional eating and how technology, specifically GPT-4, can be used to foster self-awareness and emotional health. The conversation transitions into the development of a digital therapist that encourages users to engage with their feelings and patterns of behavior, ultimately promoting personal growth and emotional well-being.

Takeaways

• Mukund reflects on how midnight cravings can lead to deeper emotional insights.
• He emphasizes that cravings often stem from emotional needs rather than physical hunger.
• The app he created uses GPT-4 to help users articulate their feelings.
• Journaling and self-reflection can reduce cravings and improve emotional health.
• Avoiding hard conversations can lead to increased cravings and emotional distress.
• The app serves as a non-judgmental space for users to express their feelings.
• Mukund's experience highlights the importance of communication with oneself.
• He encourages listeners to build their own tools for emotional reflection.
• The conversation illustrates the intersection of technology and mental health.
• Mukund plans to share resources for building similar apps.

Blog: https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/i-was-about-to-order-taco-bell-again-instead-i-built-an-ai-that-talks-me-down-00021d1310e3

Website: Monitor this for a mini course on how to do it yourself.

https://mukundansankar.substack.com/

Have you ever written something that looked perfect but felt… off? Like the grammar was flawless, the structure airtight, but the soul? Missing. In this episode, Mukundan shares a deeply personal story about emotional disconnection in writing—and how a simple AI app helped him uncover and correct it. It's part confessional, part technical walkthrough, and completely human.

Whether you're a writer, blogger, speaker, or someone who wants their words to indeed land, this episode will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about “tone.”

Takeaways

I built an AI to tell me the emotional truth.

My writing felt emotionally disconnected.

Tone is invisible, but it is everything.

AI reflects and shows us our blind spots.

We need more felt truth in the world.

When was the last time you asked your words how they feel?

Being real helps you connect with people.

I trained a model to use my own writing.

The world doesn't need more content, it needs more truth.

What is the emotional tone of this paragraph?

Blog: https://medium.com/towards-artificial-intelligence/i-built-a-tool-to-expose-the-lie-my-blog-was-telling-b89ce9903384

Summary

In this conversation, Mukund Sankar shares his personal journey of overcoming burnout and anxiety related to presentations. He discusses the challenges faced by introverts in professional settings, particularly in creating and delivering presentations. Mukund emphasizes the role of AI in alleviating the stress of presentation preparation and encourages listeners to focus on storytelling rather than just slides. He advocates for a shift in mindset from fearing presentations to viewing them as opportunities for connection and sharing personal stories.

Takeaways

Burnout can lead to a loss of identity and purpose.

Presentations can be a source of anxiety, especially for introverts.

AI can significantly aid in creating presentations efficiently.

It's important to prepare not just content, but also to manage fears.

Many professionals share the struggle of presenting.

Using AI can help streamline the presentation process.

Storytelling is more impactful than just presenting slides.

Connecting with the audience is key to effective presentations.

Overcoming the fear of presentations can lead to personal growth.

Embracing vulnerability can enhance the presentation experience.

Link to Blog post that shows you how to do it yourself (how to DIY):

https://mukundansankar.substack.com/p/i-woke-up-with-no-memoryand-a-calendar