AI agents that make everyday life easier and reduce mental load

It is precisely for everyday situations like these that our student Bianca Schroeder, a young entrepreneur, is developing intelligent AI agents. Working quietly in the background, these agents help reduce the mental load by creating shopping lists, suggesting recipes based on available ingredients and personal eating habits, or comparing prices to find the most affordable places to shop.

Bianca is currently developing the skills to turn these ideas into reality while studying for a Master’s degree in AI Solution Engineering at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences. Even before completing her first year of study, the certified data protection officer took the leap into self-employment and now supports individuals and businesses with personalised AI-powered automation.

Each of her agents has a clearly defined role. One organises appointments, provides weather updates and automatically generates a personalised printed newspaper every morning, featuring university deadlines, important news and the latest developments in AI. Another supports her studies by organising documents and preparing materials for exam revision. “Many of my ideas come from my own everyday life. I develop solutions that I would have liked to have myself.”

A career change into tech

Anyone who speaks to Bianca quickly realises that her enthusiasm is infectious. Inspiring people to explore new topics and making complex concepts easy to understand are among her greatest strengths. It was precisely this curiosity that ultimately led her into the world of artificial intelligence.

Yet her professional background is not in IT at all. After studying International Management and spending more than 15 years working in human resources – most recently at Magna – she discovered her passion for intelligent systems following the launch of ChatGPT. “I didn’t just want to use the technology; I wanted to understand it and develop solutions myself.”

Building the foundations

Bianca found the early stages of her degree heavily focused on theory – exactly the right starting point for someone making a career change into tech.

“I needed that foundation. Today, we’re working on specific projects and developing our own AI solutions. Seeing what you can achieve yourself is incredibly motivating.”

Bianca particularly values the practical projects that form part of her degree, where she develops AI solutions together with her fellow students. She is also drawing on the expertise she has gained during her studies to bring a project particularly close to her heart to life: a humanoid AI companion for her daughter that can tell stories, communicate and provide support – running entirely locally, without relying on the cloud, and designed with data protection in mind. “I want to show that a child-friendly AI companion can be designed in a way that allows parents to integrate it into everyday family life with confidence.”

For Bianca, one thing is certain: artificial intelligence should not replace people, but support them and create genuine added value. In her view, the degree programme is for anyone who recognises that AI is here to stay – and that we therefore need to learn how to shape and use it responsibly and meaningfully.