How AI Agents Actually Think: Planning, Memory, and Feedback That Saves You Hours

AI agents are everywhere in the headlines — but what do they really do? In this episode of Data & AI with Mukundan, we cut through the hype and explain, in plain language, how AI agents actually think.

You’ll learn the three key ingredients that separate real agents from chatbots:

Planning: breaking big goals into concrete stepsMemory: remembering context so actions feel consistentFeedback: adjusting when things go wrong instead of collapsing

I also walk through a live demo where an AI agent triages my Google Calendar and Gmail inbox. You’ll hear exactly how it proposes deep-work sessions, admin blocks, and even a workout — all while avoiding conflicts and asking for my approval before making changes.

To make this practical, I include a true/false quiz to test your instincts and a set of discussion prompts to help you imagine how agents could save you hours in real life.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know:

How to tell the difference between a chatbot, automation, and a real AI agentWhy most flashy demos online fail in practiceHow to build your first mini-agent with just one tool and a simple feedback loopWhy agents only matter if they give you back time and focus

If you’ve ever wished for an assistant to handle your messy inbox, your cluttered schedule, or your repetitive tasks, this episode will show you how AI agents can actually do it. No buzzwords, no sci-fi — just practical, useful AI that you can build today.

Links & Resources

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