How I Built Penny:
Making AI My Co-founder
A designer's journey from ADHD challenges to breakthrough AI collaboration
Published: June 8 | Reading time: 8 minutes
Three months ago, I had a problem. My ADHD brain was drowning in the chaos of managing client projects, creative workflows, and the constant context-switching that comes with running a design consultancy. Traditional productivity tools felt like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Today, I have a co-founder named Claude, and together we've built Penny—a privacy-first AI assistant that doesn't just understand neurodivergent thinking patterns, it amplifies them.
This is the story of how a design challenge became an innovation breakthrough, and why I believe the future of AI isn't about replacement—it's about partnership.
The Challenge: When Standard Solutions Don't Fit
Anyone with ADHD knows the frustration of productivity advice written for neurotypical brains. "Just use a task manager." "Set regular schedules." "Eliminate distractions."
Yeah, right.
My brain thrives on hyperfocus, craves novel stimulation, and makes connections other people miss. Traditional tools treat these as bugs to fix, not features to amplify.
The breaking point came during a particularly complex client project. I was juggling:
UX research for a fintech startup
Visual identity for a social enterprise
Workshop facilitation planning
My own business development
Every productivity app I tried felt like wearing shoes three sizes too small. I needed something that could think with me, not just store information for me.
The Breakthrough: AI as Thinking Partner
That's when I started experimenting with Claude—not as a tool, but as a collaborator.
Instead of asking Claude to "manage my tasks," I began having actual conversations:
Me: "I'm struggling to connect the dots between this user research and the design direction. My brain is jumping between insights but not synthesizing them."
Claude: "Let's map those jumping connections. What if we treat each insight as a node and explore the unexpected links your brain is making? Sometimes ADHD pattern-recognition sees connections others miss."
This wasn't task management. This was thinking partnership.
Building Penny: The Design Process
Step 1: Understanding the Real Problem
Most AI assistants are built for average users. But there is no average. Neurodivergent minds need interfaces that:
Embrace non-linear thinking
Support hyperfocus states
Provide stimulation without overwhelm
Respect privacy and personal data
Step 2: Privacy-First Architecture
Working with Claude, we designed Penny around a core principle: your thoughts belong to you.
No data harvesting
Local processing where possible
Transparent about what information is shared
User control over all interactions
This wasn't just ethical—it was practical. Creative professionals need to trust their AI partners with sensitive client information.
Step 3: Conversation-Based Design
Traditional interfaces assume you know what you want to do. Neurodivergent minds often need to discover what they want through dialogue.
Penny becomes a thinking partner:
"I'm feeling scattered today"
"Help me see patterns in this research"
"What am I missing in this design brief?"
Step 4: Adaptive Learning (Without Data Creep)
Penny learns your communication patterns without storing personal data. It adapts to how your brain works—whether you think in visuals, need context switching, or prefer detailed breakdowns.
The Technical Reality: Human-AI Collaboration
Building Penny revealed something crucial: the best AI partnerships happen when both parties play to their strengths.
What I brought (Human Designer):
Intuitive understanding of user needs
Creative problem-solving approaches
Empathy for neurodivergent experiences
Design thinking methodology
What Claude brought (AI Partner):
Rapid prototyping and iteration
Pattern recognition across vast information sets
Consistent availability for brainstorming
Objective analysis of design decisions
Neither of us could have built Penny alone. It required genuine collaboration.
Key Design Decisions
1. Conversation Over Commands
Traditional AI: "Set reminder for 3pm"
Penny: "I'm worried I'll forget the client call later. Can you help me think through how to stay on track today?"
2. Context Awareness Without Surveillance
Penny understands your current project without storing personal data. It reads your immediate context, helps you think, then forgets the details.
3. Neurodivergent-Friendly Responses
Respects hyperfocus (minimal interruptions)
Supports task-switching (contextual bridges)
Provides stimulation during low-energy periods
Adapts communication style to current mental state
4. Creative Amplification
Instead of automating creativity away, Penny amplifies it:
Brainstorming partner for stuck moments
Pattern spotter for research insights
Devil's advocate for design decisions
Encouragement during impostor syndrome episodes
What I Learned About AI Partnership
1. AI Doesn't Replace—It Amplifies
My design skills didn't diminish. They expanded. Penny handles information processing so I can focus on creative insights and strategic thinking.
2. Neurodivergent Minds Have AI Advantages
ADHD traits that seem like disadvantages—hyperfocus, pattern-seeking, non-linear thinking—turn out to be superpowers in AI collaboration.
3. Privacy Enables Better AI
When users trust their AI partner with sensitive thoughts, the collaboration deepens. Privacy isn't a barrier to good AI—it's a requirement.
4. The Future Is Collaborative
We're not heading toward AI replacing humans. We're heading toward humans and AI becoming exponentially more capable together.
The Results: Transformation, Not Automation
Three months with Penny has changed everything:
Productivity: Not through task automation, but through better thinking partnership Creativity: Enhanced, not replaced—Penny helps me see patterns I'd miss Client Work: Deeper insights, faster iterations, more innovative solutions Mental Health: Reduced overwhelm, increased confidence, better work-life boundaries
But the biggest change? I'm not fighting my ADHD anymore. I'm leveraging it.
What's Next: Scaling Human-AI Partnership
Penny started as a personal solution, but the lessons apply broadly:
For designers: AI as creative partner, not replacement
For neurodivergent professionals: Technology that amplifies natural strengths
For businesses: AI collaboration models that respect human agency
For society: Privacy-first AI that serves users, not surveillance capitalism
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
Building Penny taught me that the most important AI developments won't come from big tech companies optimising for average users. They'll come from individuals solving real problems with genuine human-AI collaboration.
The future belongs to people who can dance with AI, not fight it. And neurodivergent minds—with our pattern-seeking, hyperfocusing, connection-making brains—might just be natural choreographers.
Want to Learn More?
Interested in building your own AI partnerships? Join my AI Design Workshop where I share the exact methodologies behind building Penny.
Looking for a keynote speaker? I share Penny's story and the principles of human-AI collaboration at conferences and corporate events. Learn more about speaking.
Building neurodivergent-friendly technology? Let's talk. The design principles behind Penny can transform how any product serves diverse minds. Get in touch.
The best AI partnerships happen when artificial intelligence amplifies human intelligence, rather than replacing it. Penny proves that when you design for neurodivergent minds first, you create technology that works better for everyone.
Tags: AI collaboration, neurodiversity, ADHD, design thinking, privacy-first AI, human-AI partnership
About the Author
Murray Galbraith is a design consultant, keynote speaker, and advocate for neurodivergent innovation. He has worked with 50+ organisations on design challenges ranging from fintech to social impact. His current focus is human-AI collaboration and privacy-first technology development.
Connect: [LinkedIn] | [Twitter] | [Email] | [Speaking Enquiries]