Media & Culture

I'm an AI PhD student and I built an Obsidian crew because my brain couldn't keep up with my life anymore

Open-source system uses Claude AI agents to track health, deadlines, and commitments automatically.

Deep Dive

An AI PhD student, identifying as gnekt, has open-sourced 'My Brain Is Full Crew'—a novel Obsidian-based system that uses Claude AI agents as an automated life management interface. Unlike typical Obsidian+AI setups focused on code memory or project management, this system positions Claude as the primary interface for offloading cognitive load across life domains. Users interact naturally through conversation, and specialized agents handle tracking everything from research deadlines to health patterns, with the system automatically organizing everything in Obsidian vaults.

The project, available on GitHub under an MIT license, specifically addresses the 'working memory overflow' problem faced by knowledge workers. The creator acknowledges their relative newness to prompt engineering and actively seeks community contributions to refine agent prompts and architecture. Key differentiators include health-tracking agents (with mandatory consent and medical disclaimers) and a focus on life management rather than just project assistance. The system represents a shift from AI-as-assistant to AI-as-cognitive-interface, aiming to reduce the maintenance burden of traditional 'second brain' systems.

Key Points
  • Uses Claude AI agents as primary interface for life management, not just project assistance
  • Automatically tracks health patterns, deadlines, and commitments through natural conversation in Obsidian
  • Open-source MIT licensed project seeking prompt engineering improvements and community contributions

Why It Matters

Shifts AI from assistant to cognitive interface, reducing maintenance burden for overwhelmed knowledge workers.