S3E10: From Curiosity to Real-World Impact: Building AI Solutions as an Intern

In this episode of From Failure to Launch, Leo Huynh, Code2College Software Engineering Intern at Cirrus Logic, shares how his curiosity for computer science—and passion for building personal game projects—evolved into real-world impact. Joined by his manager, Will O’Donnell, Senior Staff Validation Engineer at Cirrus Logic, they reflect on Leo’s journey from exploring tech to developing an AI-driven cost prediction model now used across teams. Leo dives into his experience working on data cleaning, analysis, and machine learning, and how he quickly adapted to a professional environment with the support of a strong team. Will shares how Leo’s performance challenged his expectations and highlighted the high level of preparation Code2College students bring compared to traditional pathways. Together, they explore the importance of curiosity, problem-solving, and code readability, along with practical advice on networking, note-taking, and building structure in your day-to-day life. This episode is a reminder that no single test or project defines you—growth comes from learning how to rise to the challenge.