In this episode, Kimberly and Jessica debrief Jessica’s interview with Arlyn (founder of Tobey’s Tutor) and unpack what it looks like to build AI products as “non-technical” founders. They reflect on their own journey building Moxie: bootstrapping vs raising money, the pressure-cooker effect of investors, the messy realities of UX/UI and platform migration, the world of APIs and subscriptions, and why “friction” can be an ethical design choice, especially in AI for education.

In this episode, we talk about

• Why “non-technical founder” is a misleading label
• The hope in AI (and how “both can be true”: benefits + harms at once)
• Bootstrapped “mom-and-pop” AI companies vs venture-backed growth expectations
• The founder reality: burnout, delegation, and why money changes decision-making
• The startup metrics whirlwind: LTV, CAC, churn, stickiness, payback period
• What building an AI product costs in practice: tools, subscriptions, and constant ops
• UX/UI psychology: heatmaps, “rage clicking,” onboarding friction, and conversion decisions
• Why “friction” can be good (consent, safety, pacing, limits, especially for kids)
• “Building on rented land”: what happens when OpenAI/Google/Anthropic change terms
• The bigger ethical question: solving a problem vs optimizing a broken system

Suggested listener action

If you’re building, using, or researching AI in education: reach out. And if you’re using AI tutoring with kids (or yourself), ask questions about data, limits, mistakes, and oversight.

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Contact us: https://www.womentalkinboutai.com/

In this episode of Women Talkin’ ’Bout AI, Jessica sits down with Arlyn Gajilan, founder of Tobey’s Tutor, an AI-powered learning support platform she originally built for her son, who has ADHD and dyslexia.

This conversation is a deep dive into what it actually looks like to build an AI product as a non-technical, bootstrapped founder, from vibe coding and early prototypes to onboarding, safety systems, and pricing decisions.

Jessica fully geeks out with Arlyn as they unpack:

• Building AI to solve a deeply personal problem
• What “vibe coding” can (and can’t) do
• Designing responsibly for children and learning differences
• UX vs. UI decisions that matter
• Bootstrapping, pricing, and intentionally staying small
• Why “AI wrapper” criticism misses the point
• The reality of building while parenting and working full-time

Mentioned in the Episode

• Tobey’s Tutor: https://tobeystutor.com/
• Scientific American (article mentioning Toby’s Tutor): https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-one-mom-used-vibe-coding-to-build-an-ai-tutor-for-her-dyslexic-son/
• Mobbin (UX/UI inspiration library); https://mobbin.com/
• Empire of AI by Karen Hao: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/
  
  

Leave us a comment or a suggestion!

Support the show

Contact us: https://www.womentalkinboutai.com/

As AI shows up everywhere, something shifts, and it becomes harder to tell what’s human and what’s generated.

In this episode, Jessica and Kimberly unpack how AI-driven convenience is reshaping education, relationships, identity, and even big systems (like markets and healthcare). They explore signaling, semiotics, and why “perfect” content can feel thin or unreal, and end with small ways to choose more human signals in a noisy world.

Bonus: If you want to see how this episode ended, tune in on YouTube for a few unfiltered bloopers at the end: https://www.youtube.com/@womentalkinboutai

Topics we cover in this episode:

• AI as an invisible intermediary
• Finding the signal in the noise
• Higher ed reality check
• Why AI feels “safer” than people
• Semiotics
• The “uncanny valley” of social media
• AI for therapy + parenting support
• Cultural swing back

Not-a-Sponsor Bloopers (YouTube only): Stick around on YouTube for our end-of-episode bloopers, featuring our favorite products that are definitely not sponsoring this show (yet). https://www.youtube.com/@womentalkinboutai

Leave us a comment or a suggestion!

Support the show

Contact us: https://www.womentalkinboutai.com/