Discover AI Mind Mapping (2025 Update)

Liam Hughes (Founder: Biggerplate) revisits the evolving intersection between artificial intelligence and mind mapping. Building on his 2024 session, he reviews software developments, explores how AI features are changing mapping habits, and challenges participants to think critically about when AI adds value—and when it distracts from the thinking process. Key Themes & Topics (Timestamped) [0:05] Session setup and purpose – Introduces the 2025 update as a continuation of last year’s exploration of AI in mind mapping, framing it as both progress report and provocation. [1:59] Liam’s background and approach – Describes his Biggerplate experience as practical, not technical, focusing on user adoption and learning value rather than AI theory. [5:12] Audience usage patterns – Poll results show most participants use AI regularly, but few use it within mapping tools, prompting reflection on why adoption remains limited. [10:46] State of AI in mind mapping – Reviews 2024’s key findings: rapid innovation, unclear benefits, and mixed user confidence about AI’s role in creativity. [14:45] Vendor strategies and feature growth – Notes growing experimentation with branch generation, summarisation, and task automation across multiple mapping platforms. [17:45] XMind developments – Demonstrates on-demand branch expansion, “Explain” function for contextual notes, and early “auto-refine” features to restructure maps. [25:12] AYOA innovations – Highlights AYOA’s focus on accessibility for neurodiverse users, including whiteboard AI, structured reasoning tools, and map generation from documents or videos. [33:56] New entrant: Ivvi – Showcases speech-to-map conversion for dyslexic learners and professionals, enabling real-time visual capture from conversation. [39:17] Integration beyond mapping – Observes convergence between mapping, whiteboarding, and productivity tools, broadening how “mind mapping” is defined. [48:10] Ethics and ownership – Raises questions of privacy, intellectual property, and the human-in-the-loop principle as critical factors in AI’s responsible use. [1:03:28] Future trajectory – Predicts AI will move from content generation toward refinement, curation, and contextual intelligence embedded in maps. [1:17:00] Closing reflections – Emphasises that AI should amplify human thinking, not automate it, and urges developers to prioritise clarity, trust, and meaningful design.