MJ Lindeman, PhD, Community Partner
Feb 6, 2025
In today's information-rich world, professionals are constantly bombarded with data, insights, and ideas. They do not have enough time to read and do everything, so embedded AI systems that save them time can be very helpful. For example, the Adecco Group report found, "As AI has become more embedded, … workers now have more capacity for creative or strategic work, but they need better guidance to maximize their potential.”
Furthermore, the volume of information we need to process and retain has grown beyond our brains’ natural capabilities. Enter the concept of a "second brain," a digital system that extends our cognitive capabilities and helps us manage knowledge more effectively. It can also provide guidance in using AI systems, which may be an external AI system or an AI embedded within the software.
More than a year ago, after iterating through numerous other alternatives, I began using Obsidian as a “second brain.” My exploration included software not usually mentioned in “second brain” discussions, such as using MediaWiki to set up a personal wiki.
The Obsidian software has come closest to providing what I want, but it has numerous significant omissions. It is nowhere near the multifunctional abilities of my biological brain. The most serious omission is its inability to handle structured data such as spreadsheets. The plugins that do manage structured data are inadequate.
What is a second brain?
Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) systems are tools and methods for collecting, organizing, connecting, and retrieving information and knowledge. This includes notes, documents, web clips, images, and other digital content that individuals want to preserve and make useful for future reference.
Originally, "second brain" is a specific methodology within PKM, popularized by Tiago Forte. It emphasizes creating an external system to capture, organize, and utilize knowledge using digital tools. Many PKM systems do not follow the Second Brain “CODE” methodology, which has four steps: capture, organize, distill, and express. There are strong arguments against using CODE for your second brain.
The more general meaning of “second brain” is software used as an extension of your cognitive processes. It is designed to capture, organize, retrieve, and relate information in ways that mirror and enhance how your biological brain works. Think of it as your own knowledge management system, one that never forgets and can process information in ways your biological memory cannot.
At its core, it employs systematic organization that reflects your natural thought patterns, allowing you to store, retrieve, and analyze information in ways that feel intuitive and natural. The system enables seamless capture of information from multiple sources, ensuring no valuable insight is lost in the daily flood of information.
The ability to make connections between different pieces of information sets a second brain apart from traditional storage systems, enabling new insights and understanding. Finally, the system must be scalable to accommodate growing knowledge, expanding with your learning and development.
Unlike traditional note-taking systems, a second-brain AI is dynamic and interactive, allowing you to do more than store information. You can also work with the AI to analyze the data and derive new insights. The ability to analyze and derive insights has been greatly enhanced by embedding an AI within the software, either directly or added through a plugin. It becomes an AI second brain.
Some well-known alternatives
Numerous second-brain apps are available. For example, this video describes a list of preferred apps and there are other apps identified in its comments.
The following list of second-brain software is the most widely-documented second-brain/PKM tools known. Each has significant documentation, a user community, and an established track record. Some, such as Notion second brain, are more well-known than others.
Note-taking & knowledge management
- Obsidian: Local-first markdown with plugins and graph visualization
- Logseq: Open-source outliner with bi-directional linking
- Notion: All-in-one workspace combining notes and databases
- Roam Research: Pioneer in networked thought and bi-directional linking
- Evernote: Classic platform with web clipper and OCR
- OneNote: Microsoft's solution with strong handwriting support
- DevonThink: Document management with AI categorization
Research and academic
- Zotero: Reference management and PDF annotation
- Dendron: VS Code-based hierarchical documentation
Simple and minimal
- Bear: Clean markdown notes for Apple ecosystem
- Workflowy: Infinite outliner for hierarchical organization
- TiddlyWiki: Single-file customizable wiki system
AI-enhanced
- Mem.ai: AI-powered note-taking with natural language processing
- Lex: AI writing environment with note-taking features
This article is focused on a specific AI-enhanced app, the Quadratic AI spreadsheet. In any business operation's role, you need to quickly transform data into actionable insights that support data-driven decisions. Quadratic combines AI, code, and direct data connections in a modern spreadsheet environment to accelerate this process. Also, it is the easiest online no-code relational database software because you can ask the AI to write the code you need for your current task.
Using Quadratic AI as your “second brain”
Quadratic's AI-powered spreadsheet platform offers unique capabilities that make it an ideal choice for building a second brain for structured data. It combines the familiarity of spreadsheets with powerful AI features. This creates an intuitive yet powerful knowledge management system that is focused on structured data rather than unstructured text.
The AI-powered spreadsheet lets you do code-driven analyses that provide quicker insights, and those insights support better decisions that are data-driven. Any of four high-level areas of responsibility are suggested as the starting point for using a Quadratic AI spreadsheet.
Quadratic provides SOC 2 and HIPAA compliance for enterprise-grade security, which makes it ideal for these types of applications. These security certifications make it suitable for handling confidential information across all business operations, from financial modeling to customer data analysis.
You can consolidate your BI stack by connecting to databases, APIs, and other data sources. If the connection you need is not available, you can submit a request for it. There are currently 30 spreadsheet integrations available, including databases like MySQL and Postgres.
"I use Quadratic every day for macro analysis. It’s replaced so many other tools and given me a leg up in terms of speed and efficiency. The APIs let me pull real-time data to help make decisions quickly." Max Gnesi, Head of Fixed Income Fund Selection, UBS
The AI spreadsheet enables hypothesis testing, creates flexible visualizations, and supports both technical and non-technical collaboration through its natural language interface. This lets you collaborate with your team, regardless of their technical abilities. You can use natural language to create flexible reports that visualize your data, which is an advantage over older no code database tools.
The integration of AI transforms how teams interact with their data. By leveraging AI capabilities, teams can move from hypothesis to analysis in seconds, dramatically reducing the time traditionally spent on data preparation and initial analysis. This acceleration of the analytical process enables more iterations and deeper insights, leading to better-informed decisions across all operational areas.
Direct connections to databases, APIs, and other data sources eliminate the manual work of data updates and reduce the risk of errors from copy-paste operations. Teams can maintain live connections to their data sources, ensuring analyses are always based on current information. This real-time data access is especially valuable for monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and responding quickly to changing business conditions.
The platform's visualization capabilities extend beyond traditional charts and graphs. Teams can create custom, interactive visualizations that precisely match their analytical needs. This flexibility ensures that insights can be communicated effectively to stakeholders at all levels of the organization, supporting better decision-making through clear data presentation.
"The ability to cross-reference multiple queries simultaneously and create custom charts with Plotly makes Quadratic significantly more powerful than traditional BI tools. The built-in AI assistant is a game-changer for visualization." Anthony Parente, Head of Product, Infinite Games
Native support for Python, SQL, and JavaScript provides the technical depth needed for sophisticated analysis while maintaining accessibility through the familiar spreadsheet interface. This combination enables teams to leverage the power of code-driven analysis without sacrificing ease of use. Technical team members and citizen developers can create complex models, while non-technical users can interact with and modify these analyses through natural language interfaces.
The collaborative features of Quadratic break down silos between technical and business teams. Natural language interfaces allow team members to work together regardless of their technical expertise. This democratization of data analysis accelerates decision-making by enabling direct interaction with data and models across the organization.
Whether analyzing market trends, tracking product metrics, modeling financial scenarios, or measuring sales performance, Quadratic provides a unified platform for data-driven transformation and decision-making. Its combination of AI capabilities, code integration, and collaborative features transforms how business operations teams work with data, leading to faster insights and better decisions.
Conclusion
The advanced features of Quadratic AI Spreadsheet as a no code database app make it more than just a storage system. AI-generated insights from your stored knowledge provide new perspectives and understanding. By leveraging Quadratic's powerful features, you can utilize the second brain technique to help you process and use your stored information more effectively.
The platform's AI capabilities mean your second brain can grow smarter over time, learning from your usage patterns and helping you make better use of your stored knowledge. Remember that building a second brain is a personal journey. You can choose how to adapt Quadratic AI spreadsheet to match your needs and working style.
“Quadratic has replaced 3 different tools and saves me a ton of time every week.” Anthony Parente, Head of Product, Infinite Games
The best approach is to start small, focus on consistent usage, and gradually expand your second brain as you become more comfortable with the process. With Quadratic as your second brain for structured data, you are creating a dynamic knowledge management system that grows and evolves with you.
