Mem Chat: the True Second Brain and AI Knowledge Assistant

For those acquainted with the notion of a second brain, the recently released Chat and AI Knowledge Assistant feature in Mem X serves as a genuine second brain

A second brain is a concept that refers to a system or tool that helps individuals capture and organize their ideas, thoughts, and knowledge in a way that allows for easy retrieval and application. Numerous notebook applications like Evernote, Roam, Obsidian, Logseq, and Notion are popular second-brain applications. Though I’ve tried all these applications, Mem, for me, stands above them all.

I’ve been using Mem for almost two years (here’s my video review), and I’m so impressed with the evolution of the application that I don’t consider using other note apps for my personal knowledge management.

What Is Mem X

For me, Mem is a writing platform. I don’t use it for task management or charting data in tables. I use it for copious notes and quotes, and as a work journal. It’s rare for me to go a day without either writing or copying content into Mem.

When AI knowledge assistance came on board in Mem earlier this year (starting with its SmartWrite feature, described in a later section below), I realized I needed to throw everything I’m interested in into my Mem database, i.e., my second brain. While delving deeper into Mem, I realized it serves a greater purpose than simply storing my knowledge. It has the ability to generate fresh content by utilizing the information already available.

The AI Knowledge Assistant

I was first attracted to Mem because of its “Similar to this mem” feature. The Mem user interface consists of three panels. The main panel is for writing notes (called mems), and the right-side panel presents related mems of the current mem. When you write or review a mem, you get a list of related mems based on the current mem’s content, title, and tags. Inside the right panel, you can click and review related mems. I’m unfamiliar with other note-taking apps that offer the note-resurfacing feature.

The left panel contains links to other mem sections, including Tasks, People, Collections, and Favorites.

Mem Chat As a Second Brain

The Mem Chat feature is a valuable second brain as it enables users to engage with their knowledge database in a manner that transcends conventional note-taking.

Unlike ChatGPT 3, Mem Chat and AI knowledge assistant accesses your personal database in the way you access your brain for information. Mem Chat accesses and generates content based on what you’ve added to your Mem library. The more you add, the more it can access.

With the help of the AI knowledge assistant, Mem Chat can…

1. Answer factual questions based on your saved knowledge and retrieve specific notes by name.
2. Answer open-ended questions about your saved knowledge to help you get the most out of it.
3. Generate written content based on summaries or explanations of your saved knowledge.
4. Chat with you and ask insightful follow-up questions.
5. Save any response directly to your knowledge base by clicking “Mem It” or pasting the response to your clipboard by clicking “Copy.”
6. Help you with questions about using Mem, using its knowledge from support.mem.ai.

Mem Chat also provides sources it used in your Mem database to write the responses you prompted it to write.

How I Use Chat

Here are some examples of how I use Mem Chat:

1. When working on a complex project, I ask Chat to generate an outline based on my notes. This helps me structure my project and content and identify key points.
2. I often ask Chat to summarize long pieces of text or complex topics. This helps me create concise and easy-to-understand notes.
3. When I’m stuck on a problem or need inspiration, I ask Chat to brainstorm ideas. Mem can help me explore different perspectives and generate new ideas.
4. I sometimes ask Chat to clarify concepts or provide definitions for terms I’m not familiar with. This helps me better understand the topic and improve my notes.
5. I periodically ask Chat to review my notes and provide insights or suggestions. This helps me identify patterns, connections, and areas for further exploration.
   

The other day, I needed to develop an outline for a 6-hour workshop. Chat created an outline in less than thirty seconds because my Mem database contains several pieces of content about the workshop topic and the table of contents from a guidebook I produced.

I was so impressed with the output it generated that I decided to take an hour-long break, considering it would have taken me that much time to create the outline myself. No other application saves me as much time as Mem Chat and SmartWrite (described below.)

In another case, I chatted with Mem AI to write a Twitter thread about my thoughts on the presidential run of Dr. Cornel West under the Green Party. Again, Chat accessed my notes and wrote seven useful tweets. While the tweets were a good start, Mem Chat can’t read my brain; I need to train it for what to look for. In this case, I continued the chat and told it how to revise the tweets. You can even tell Mem Chat to correct information.

Chat Suggestions

Similar to our thought process, Chat Suggestions is a recent feature added to Mem AI.

When you open a mem, a set of suggested prompts appear in the right panel, where all the automation occurs. For example, I’ve been learning and writing notes about fiat currency. For a note about fiat currency, AI provides the following suggestions for me to open a new chat and explore more about the topic.

Writing This Blog Post

As you probably guessed, Mem Chat and Mem SmartWrite helped me write this blog post. Mem Chat wrote the above sections about what Mem Chat can do with some tweaks and rewrites of my own.

SmartWrite AI

SmartWrite is a feature of Mem that can generate written content, such as summaries or explanations, based on your saved knowledge. It also uses the AI knowledge assistant to streamline the writing process and improve the quality of content. Unlike Mem Chat, SmartWrite is prompted inline as you write a note or document. You can also select a piece of content in a mem, and SmartWrite can rewrite it based on your instructions.

What Mem Chat Can’t Do

According to the developers of Mem, this is what Mem Chat can’t do:

• Access the Internet: While Mem knows a bit about the outside world, Mem doesn’t have access to information beyond 2021 and can’t help you search the web.
• Access tools outside of Mem: Mem doesn’t directly access external apps. 

Start Building Your Second Brain

It’s a good idea to start building your second brain if you haven’t already. The AI knowledge assistant capabilities of Mem X are the most revolutionary technology since the development of GPS. I sometimes ponder the benefits of having an AI chat feature integrated into my Day One journaling app, which I’ve been using for the past 15 years. It would undoubtedly enhance the usefulness of my journal.

You don’t have to be a blogger or content producer to build a second brain. One effective way to enhance your understanding of topics relevant to your work and personal interests is by implementing the “second brain” approach. With Mem Chat, you can delve into various topics and discover fresh perspectives and ideas that you may have never considered before.

Chat is a premium feature of Mem X, but you can get started using Mem for free.