productxai

How to Ship AI Side Projects That Real Users Actually Want

Uber

The Boeing Company

Delivery Hero

ProductVoyagers.com

Ericsson

Wafaey

ProductxAI: Shaping Product Destinies from Research, Strategy to Impact.

Wyndo

AI Operator & Maker 🛠️

We’ll break down the real reasons good ideas stall after some weeks of being live. It’s not your code by the way.

Why most AI side projects quietly fail

Use the Prompt → Problem → Person method to stop guessing and start solving something that matters.

How to map prompts to real problems

Feed Claude/LLMs artifacts like chat logs and interviews. Spot patterns fast & get validated problems without guessing.

Discovery with AI

A helpful checklist to stress-test your idea before you waste time building it.

10-point idea filter

If you're like many ambitious professionals, you're not new to AI. You use the tools, follow the news, and see the potential. Yet, you feel a persistent gap between your current usage and what's truly possible. You probably recognize these challenges: 1. Your AI usage feels ad-hoc. You can write impressive prompts and accomplish isolated tasks, but you lack a systematic way to build reliable, scalable solutions that integrate into complex workflows. You see impressive demos online but don't have a clear path to building them yourself. 2. You're struggling to distinguish signal from noise. The relentless stream of new models, research papers, and "ultimate guides" is impossible to keep up with. You worry that you're investing time in learning skills and tools that will become obsolete in a few months. You need a way to identify the foundational principles that last. 3. You see a massive career opportunity but aren't sure how to seize it. You don't just want to be a user of AI; you want to be the person who can confidently lead projects, architect solutions, and guide your team. You want to become the go-to expert, but you need a structured path to get there. If this sounds familiar, it's because you've moved beyond the beginner stage. You're ready to tackle the next set of challenges, and that is precisely where our course begins. It is built on a single yet prfound premise: the most effective way to master AI is to build with it. We teach you how to create practical applications and then connect them to the underlying research. This ensures you not only know how to build, but why your solutions work, allowing you to adapt to any new tool or model in the future. More importantly, building with AI energizes you to keep learning, develops your taste, and enables you to seize opportunities. What You Will Be Able to DoThis course is about acquiring practical capabilities. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1. Build and Deploy Functional AI Prototypes You will move from ad-hoc prompting to engineering reliable systems. You will learn to write code that integrates LLMs with other tools and data sources to solve real-world problems. Specifically:- Build a Q&amp;A bot over your own documents (e.g., Confluence, internal wikis) using AI native methods beyond RAG.- Create automated workflows, such as generating a weekly summary report from Jira tickets or processing inbound emails.- Connect AI to external tools and APIs to perform actions, moving beyond simple text generation.- Evaluate, debug and improve the output of LLMs in a systematic way. 2. Develop a Durable Framework for Learning New Concepts You will learn how to distinguish between temporary trends and fundamental principles. This will enable you to learn effectively, cut through the noise, and focus on what truly matters. Specifically:- Understand the core mechanics of LLMs, such as context windows and attention, and how they impact performance.- Confidently assess new AI models, papers, and tools to determine their actual value for your work.- Develop a first-principles approach to prompt engineering, moving beyond simple templates.Identify the inherent limitations of current AI (e.g., hallucination, reasoning failures) and design systems to mitigate them. 3. Become the Go-To AI Strategist in Your Role You will gain the confidence and clarity to lead. This course provides the structure to not only enhance your own work but also to guide your team and organization. Specifically:- Identify and scope high-value AI opportunities within your own business workflow.- Lead an AI project from an idea to a working prototype.- Clearly articulate the capabilities, costs, and limitations of a proposed GenAI solution to stakeholders.- Establish best practices for integrating AI into your team's existing processes. How You Will Learn: A System for MasteryOur course is a comprehensive system designed for deep, practical learning. It combines live instruction, hands-on application, and an extensive knowledge base to ensure you can build with confidence. 1. Live Sessions: The Core Framework Your learning is anchored by four hours of live sessions. These sessions are not about a collection of tricks; they are designed to give you a durable mental framework. We distill the most critical information on how AI works, teach you how to learn effectively in this rapidly changing field, and provide concrete principles to guide you from your first line of code to a functional application. The goal is to equip you to push through challenges and build with sound judgment. 2. Projects &amp; Office Hours: Real-World Application Knowledge is solidified through hands-on projects and direct support. You will work on building applications relevant to your daily work, pushing past self-imposed limitations to see what is truly possible. In our office hours, we provide personalized guidance to unblock you and demonstrate advanced problem-solving in real-time. We use cutting-edge tools like Cursor and Claude Code to build solutions live, showing you how to leverage the most powerful development workflows available today. 3. Reference Materials: A Library for Builders Your learning is supported by an extensive library of original materials. Developed with over 300 hours of effort and spanning more than 200 pages, this resource is your detailed guide for independent building. It is continuously updated to stay current. When you encounter a specific problem weeks or months after the course, this library is designed to give you the concrete answers and guidance you need to solve it. Join a Professional Network of 5,000+ AI BuildersYour enrollment includes lifetime access to our private network. This is a community for sharing technical solutions, discussing new research, and advancing your career alongside other serious practitioners. The community has a dedicated Q&amp;A section and we will answer your questions there even after the cohort. Ready to Build?We recommend the immersive experience of our cohort-based course. A self-paced version is also available if your schedule requires flexibility at https://www.superlinear.academy/c/ai/. All Maven students receive complimentary access to the self-paced version, and lifetime update of new course materials. Who This Course Is Not ForWe are committed to transformative outcomes, which means being transparent about who will get the most value from this demanding program. This course may not be the right fit if: 1. You are completely new to programming. This is not a 'learn to code' course. While you don’t need to be an expert developer, you should be comfortable with basic programming concepts and at least know how to install Python. Being completely new to programming also suggest that you job doesn't require automation, and it may not benefit much from AI. 2. You are looking for a passive, theoretical overview of AI. This is an intense, hands-on program that requires active building. Our methodology is centered on learning by doing. If your primary goal is to listen to lectures without writing code, you will not get the intended value. 3. You want to train a foundational model from scratch. This course teaches you how to build valuable applications with LLMs, not how to build the models themselves. When the web browser emerged, the great opportunity was to build websites, not competing browsers. We believe the same is true for AI today, and our focus is entirely on application. 4. You are looking for a list of "100 best prompts" or quick hacks. We focus on teaching the durable, first-principles understanding needed to build real applications. We do not teach temporary tricks even when they may be desired at times. 5. You cannot identify any problems you want to solve. The course teaches you how to build solutions. If you have no professional or personal context where you can apply these powerful new skills, the learning will remain abstract and you won't benefit from the core, practical value of the program.

The future is here, but unevenly distributed

Course syllabus

Walkthrough building prototypes together. Learn their implications through LLM research and our technical insights.

Live Sessions

Content similar to the live sessions without the need for interactions. Fit your busy schedule and learn on your own pace.

Offline/Async Courses


Build your own GenAI solution for your particular use case. Apply the tools and mindsets learned in class

Weekly projects

Get feedback and coaching on your class project. Learn what other students have built.

Office hours

Course schedule

You are using AI, but feel like you can be much better at it. You want to apply AI to your daily work and actually boost productivity.

You want to understand what AI is, how to learn it well, and where it falls short—so you don’t waste time on things that won’t matter.

You want to become the go-to-expert in AI and capture this opportunity of a lifetime.

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

Go beyond basic tools. You'll learn to code and deploy functional prototypes land automated workflows using APIs, latest tools, and advanced frameworks.

Build Real-World AI Solutions, Not Just Prompts

Stop chasing fleeting trends. We teach you the core principles of LLMs so you can confidently evaluate new models and future-proof your skills.

A Lasting Framework to Navigate AI's Future

Learn to identify high-value opportunities, lead AI projects from idea to prototype, and clearly articulate strategy to your stakeholders.

Become the Go-To AI Expert on Your Team

The AI tool landscape is noisy. We save you hundreds of hours by rigorously testing the latest tools, showing you which ones work best for specific tasks in our live office hours and community Q&amp;A during and after the class.

Leverage the Best AI Tools, Vetted for You

Receive our 200+ page, continuously updated knowledge base. This is your go-to reference for solving building challenges long after the course ends. Join a community of 5,000+ like minded AI trailblazers.

A Lifetime Library and Community of Builder Knowledge

Stop chasing tricks. Master the durable skills and vetted tools to build real-world AI solutions.

Yuzheng Sun, PhD

Statsig.com Data Scientist | Ex Tencent Director | Ex Meta/Amazon/BCG | Tech channel with 200k+ subscribers and 5k+ paid members

Yan Wang, PhD

Applied Scientist @ Samsara | Olympic Torchbearer | Ex Pinterest/Microsoft | Ex Tech blogger with 100k+ subscribers

Cohort 9

Cohort 10

Introducing a revolutionary approach to market understanding: Stop trying to validate what you want to sell. Learn to truly listen to what the market wants you to build. Imagine having direct access to the unfiltered thoughts, desires, and needs of billions of potential customers. Not through traditional market research or focus groups, but through what I call the Billion-Person Focus Group® - a revolutionary AI-powered approach to understanding what people really want. Why This Course Is DifferentMost market research courses teach you how to validate your ideas. This course teaches you something far more powerful: how to let the market guide your decisions before you even build. Using my Oracle and Architect framework, you'll learn to:→ Move beyond traditional "validation" to achieve true Product-Market Flow→ Build AI thought partners that give you deep market insights 24/7→ Tap into the authentic voice of your market at scale→ Understand not just what people do, but why they do it What Makes This Approach Unique:→ Goes beyond surface-level data to uncover emotional and cultural drivers→ Teaches you to build your own AI thought partners, not just use tools→ Focuses on deep listening rather than validation→ Combines human-centered research with cutting-edge AI technology Real Results From My Methodology:→ Helped companies pivot features to drive 40% surge in user adoption→ Reduced churn rates by 30% through deeper customer understanding→ Increased revenue by 20% by identifying hidden market opportunities→ Secured 25% market share in new markets within 6 months→ Saved millions in wasted resources and customer acquisition costs The secret?→ Stop building what you think people want and telling them what to buy.→ Instead, start listening to what the market actually needs and is telling you what to sell. If you are ready transform your vision into market-validated success then please join us. .

Ready to stop guessing and start knowing what your market truly wants?

If your events are recurring and at the same time, it might be easiest to use a single line item to communicate your course schedule to students

Tuesdays & Thursdays

Feel free to type out dates as your title as a way to communicate information about specific live sessions or other events.

May 7, 2022

Schedule items can also be used to convey commitments outside of specific time slots (like weekly projects or daily office hours).

Visionary EntrepreneursBuild with confidence, not guesswork. Use AI-powered deep listening to create products your market actually wants.

Marketers &amp; Growth LeadersSpot hidden opportunities and create campaigns that resonate by understanding what truly drives your audience.

Consultants &amp; Agencies Transform client outcomes using AI-powered market intelligence. Make decisions backed by deep insights.

Solopreneurs &amp; Side-Hustlers Launch products that connect by truly understanding your niche. Stop guessing, start knowing your market.

Product &amp; Innovation Leaders Create products people love by understanding their deeper needs. Turn market insights into winning features.

This Course Is Perfect For:

What This Course Will Help You Do

Learn to use AI to test and refine your ideas before heavy investment, drastically reducing the risk of launching products that don't resonate with your audience. Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to data-driven clarity and certainty.

Validate Ideas with Confidence and Eliminate Guesswork

Dive deep into the vast world of online data to extract meaningful insights others miss. Master the Billion-Person Focus Group® technique to spot emerging trends, underserved segments and understand authentic, real-time consumer preferences before your competitors do.

Uncover Hidden Market Opportunities

Go beyond surface-level demographics to understand the deep motivations driving customer decisions. Create offerings that truly resonate with your target audience, fostering loyalty and driving sustainable growth. Build what your market craves, before they even know they want it.

Craft Products and Campaigns People Love

Gain deep insights into customer preferences to optimize your offerings and marketing strategies for maximum impact and resonance.

Optimise Existing Products and Campaigns

Use the power of AI to develop data-driven strategies for pricing, distribution, and marketing. Optimize your success while minimizing customer acquisition costs. Create messaging that deeply connects with your audience, setting your brand apart in even the most crowded markets.

Develop Winning Go-to-Market Strategies

Learn to monitor and interpret market shifts as they happen. Quickly adjust your strategies to seize emerging opportunities and maintain continuous product-market fit in dynamic environments. Stay ahead of the curve and never be caught off-guard by market changes again.

Pivot Your Strategies Proactively - Not Reactively

Save money, avoid costly missteps and accelerate your path to product-market fit. Optimize your resource allocation for maximum impact. Transform from a market follower into a visionary leader, armed with AI-powered foresight and data-driven confidence.

Minimise Risk, Maximise Success
 

Build AI-powered virtual personas or focus groups to test product concepts, predict market reactions, refine messaging or uncover unmet needs before launch. Build and deploy your own AI research agents to gather insights 24/7, transforming how you understand your market.

Create AI-Powered Virtual Personas and Market Validation Companions

Gain exclusive access to AI prompts, codebases, templates and frameworks that will revolutionize your approach to market research. Learn to craft laser-focused AI prompts that unlock hidden insights and validate your assumptions with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Build Your DIY AI-Powered Market Research Toolkit
 

Connect, collaborate, and learn alongside visionary professionals. Get personalized support and expert guidance to tackle your unique challenges.

Join a Community of Market Innovators

Unlock the power of AI and the Billion-Person Focus Group® to decode what your market really wants in ways traditional research can't.

Cohort 4

Abi Awomosu

Data and AI Whisperer.  Advisor to Founders and Fortune 500 Execs for 20+ Years

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Clients want coaching, your team wants direction, and leadership wants you to 10× your own output with AI - all while the AI tech stack changes every week. When you're not-technical and don't have the time to become technical, this becomes an insane challenge to overcome.&nbsp; It's also the challenge that I had to solve for myself. At Accenture, I went from being a non-technical leader to securing $2M in funding for AI initiatives. Then I helped build the AI strategies that drove productivity improvements for over 14,000 consultants. Today, I advise both tech startups and Fortune 1000 companies on becoming AI-native organizations. What you need are frameworks and cheat sheets on what really matters in deciding what, how, and when to apply AI. This cohort isn’t “AI 101.” It’s applied enterprise-grade learning for leaders who want to be ahead of the curve, not catching up to it. Unlike broad "AI for Leaders" courses that just cover definitions, this live lunch-time cohort is hands-on -- you'll pick your top use cases, calculate ROI, decide on the tech stack, and try your hand at automating some of your own workload. WHAT TO EXPECT:Format: four live, lunch-time sessions across two weeksSupport: two optional interactive office hours for hands-on helpPrep: bite-sized, zero fluff—show up, apply, move onOutcome: identify high-impact AI use-cases, craft an executable plan, and become the AI-native voice in your org (or for your clients) WHAT WE'LL COVER:- Pinpoint problems that are truly AI-solvable (we’ll choose them live)- Scope projects that become career-making case studies, not budget sinkholes- Speak “just-technical-enough” about GenAI, agents, ML, and automation- Make smart Build • Buy • Vibe-Code calls to save cash and time- See case studies from companies seeing 70%-300% improvements in productivity, marketing, engineering, and product management- Select platforms for low-code / no-code AI automations- Set realistic expectations with leadership and clients- Overcome resistance and build cross-functional buy-in- Avoid the costliest implementation traps- Keep your strategy relevant as the tech leaps forward TOOLKIT YOU'LL TAKE WITH YOU:1. Build, Buy, Vibe-Code AI Solution Decision Matrix2. AI Vendor Assessment Checklist3. “Why We’re Going AI-Native” Narrative Template4. 7-Point Checklist to Avoid AI Project Failure5. Handpicked list of my personal AI tech stack (the coolest AI products in the market right now) to explore The goal isn't to make you a technical expert - it's to give you the confidence to lead AI initiatives successfully. WHO WILL BENEFIT MOST FROM THIS COURSE: - You're responsible for AI projects but don't have a technical background- You need to make strategic decisions about AI investment- You're leading consulting engagements and clients want coaching on AI- You're bridging the gap between technical teams and business objectives- You want to position yourself as a forward-thinking leader WHO THIS IS NOT FOR: - Developers or AI engineers seeking technical implementation skills- Those expecting to become AI experts overnight- People looking for general "this is what ChatGPT is" courses If you're still not convinced, consider this: The price of this course is a fraction of the cost of a single failed AI project (so you should ask if your company will pay for this). And even if they won't, this is a small investment towards making your career future-proof.

Expectations have never been higher...

Use your lunch hour for the most impactful activity you could have on your plate -- future-proofing your career.

Wednesdays & Fridays Live Sessions

Open Office Hours for any questions and deep dives.

Thursday AMA Office Hours

Team leads, directors, and department heads who have been "volun-told" to implement AI and need to show a plan, quickly.

AI consultants who need structured frameworks to help clients decide on AI use cases, execution, and ROI.

Execs, founders, and business owners who need to set the AI strategy for their org and can't afford to make costly mistakes

Who should take this course

Companies are already seeing huge results...HubSpot improved email performance by 70%, Gumroad increased feature releases by 300%. Don't reinvent the wheel. Learn directly from real, behind-the-scenes case studies - and leave with a tangible plan for your team.

Leapfrog to picking 2-3 of the most impactful AI use cases based on what top AI leaders are doing

Decision fatigue is real -- and not all use cases need to be custom-built (and who has engineering resources for that, anyway). You'll be able to confidently decide how you should implement each use case to maximize speed to value. We'll apply this framework together in real time

Steal my framework for quickly deciding whether to Build, Buy, or "Vibe Code" AI solutions

Learn how to prompt AI agents like a boss, pick the right platform (Zapier, Make, ChatGPT, N8N), and start to automate your own work so you can deliver 10x more value.

Vibe code your AI "quick wins" live

74% of companies are struggling to see value beyond an AI proof of concept. We'll cover what makes a good AI deployment (to AI agent or not to AI agent) so your efforts stay relevant and scale over time. We'll analyze real situations from within the cohort.

Deconstruct the best practices and top mistakes companies make when deploying AI internally

AI tech isn't even the hardest part -- AI leaders are putting 80% of their effort into aligning people and processes. You'll leave with a clear, actionable roadmap to transform your team into an AI-Native powerhouse.

Create your own "Why We're Going AI Native" narrative to gain buy-in from your team

Pick winning AI use cases, gain confidence in executing your AI plan, and get recognized by bosses and clients for being AI-native

Lauren Vriens

Cohort 1

So the way you validate, test, and launch must be different too. If you’ve been circling an AI idea—sketching it in Notion, building prompts in GPT, or hacking together a Loveable prototype—you’re not alone. We’re in a generational shift. In the past, shipping a startup meant raising a round, hiring a team, and spending months building an MVP. Today, a single person with the right tools can test, build, and launch faster than most seed-stage teams. But that speed creates a new problem: It’s never been easier to build something no one wants. What’s hard now isn’t building—it’s knowing what to build, who it’s for, and how to validate it without burning out or flying blind. This course is different. It doesn’t teach you how to build an AI product. It teaches you how to define your success parameters, test with real users, find product-user fit early, and build like an AI-native founder. Most AI courses teach tools. We teach traction. You’ll go beyond frameworks and walk out with proof. Proof that your idea solves a real problem. That users want it. That it’s worth your time and energy. We help you pressure-test the riskiest parts of your idea before you waste months on it. And we connect you with real users—so you’re not stuck launching into the void. AI is reshaping more than product workflows. It’s reshaping how we think about our careers, our impact, and our creativity. If you're a designer or PM, you’re no longer limited to your role—you can own the whole stack. If you're an engineer, you don’t need a team to launch something real. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a founder, this is the moment AI makes it possible. But only if you learn to think and operate like an AI-first builder. This course is for ambitious builders—whether you’re shipping solo, exploring a side hustle, or prototyping your next startup. What to Expect This is not a passive, watch-some-videos kind of course. It’s a structured, high-signal, high-feedback environment designed to help you move fast, build confidently, and learn through doing. Each week, you’ll actively work on your own AI product idea—refining your concept, testing your riskiest assumptions, and making measurable progress toward product-user fit. You’ll go from a fuzzy idea to a real prototype tested with real users in just 6 weeks. You’ll get:- Live sessions led by design and engineering leaders from Apple, Amazon, Uber, and Microsoft- Actionable frameworks and blueprints used by top teams to validate, measure, and iterate quickly- 1:1 coaching and expert feedback tailored to your product, stage, and user type- Accountability tools to help you commit, build, and stay on track- Access to real users for testing and interviews—no cold DMs required But what makes this course truly different is the community model. Every student is expected to participate in user testing for select peer projects. You’ll be paired with other builders based on interest, skillset, and background—so you’re testing with people who can actually give you relevant feedback. You’ll learn as much from testing others' products as you will from building your own. It’s this mutual support, shared learning, and real-time iteration that creates an environment where everyone levels up—together. This isn’t just a course. It’s a collaborative launchpad for AI-first builders. By the end, you won’t just walk away with a polished prototype. You’ll walk away with real user insights, a trusted network of collaborators, and the mindset to build and ship like an AI-native founder.

Building in the AI era is different.

These live sessions are the core of the course experience. Each Saturday, we’ll meet for a 3-hour working session that includes coaching, peer feedback, and real-time exercises. You’ll share progress, test ideas, and get guidance on your next steps. We strongly recommend attendin

Live Session & Workshops

In addition to live workshops, we host optional weekly office hours where you can get direct support on your project. Bring questions, blockers, or early prototypes—this is your time for 1:1 feedback, deeper coaching, or just a sanity check. It’s a casual, collaborative space to

Weekly office hours

Each week also includes a 90-minute product validation session where you'll either test your prototype with real users or give feedback on peer projects. You'll be matched with participants based on interest and background.

Validation Sessions

Solo Builders &amp; Side HustlersYou have an idea and want expert support to validate and launch it—without wasting time or code.

Startup Teams &amp; Early FoundersYou’re in the 0→1 stage and need real user signals to shape and validate your AI product idea.

Designers &amp; Engineers with Product Vision. Want to lead AI products, not just ship features—learn to validate with real users.

We’ve distilled everything we’ve learned from shipping AI products into a practical framework and templates you can use again and again. You’ll turn vague ideas into structured, testable hypotheses—and then into working prototypes within a few weeks.

Use our AI Product Blueprint to go from fuzzy idea to tested prototype

Most people chase PMF too late or track the wrong things. We’ll help you define fit early by teaching you how to spot signals: activation patterns, user intent, repeated behavior, qualitative insight. You’ll build a simple KPI stack to measure fit week by week.

Define product-user fit and track it with the right metrics

Each week, you’ll either test your product with peers or give feedback on theirs. You’ll be matched by interests and background, so feedback is useful and relevant. This is not just theory—you’re actively learning through direct interaction and testing.

Test your prototype weekly with users from our builder community

You’ll receive personalized feedback on your project during live sessions and office hours—from instructors who’ve built AI products at companies like Apple, Amazon, Uber, and Microsoft. No fluff, no generalities—just honest feedback to help you move forward.

Get coaching and feedback from seasoned builders

You’ll learn how to apply AI tools at every step: GPT for research, Claude for synthesis, Figma AI and Framer for prototyping, and no-code tools to test ideas. The course helps you move at the speed of today’s best AI builders—without needing a full dev team.

Build like an AI-native founder—fast, iterative, insight-driven

Whether you're building a side hustle, launching a startup, or experimenting with AI for the first time, you'll walk away with a tested prototype, clear user insights, and a product roadmap you can execute—or pitch to collaborators or investors.

Build a launch-ready product roadmap

Validate your AI product idea with real users. Learn, build, and get coached by industry veterans to find product-user fit—fast.

Lightning Lessons

How to Ship AI Side Projects That Real Users Actually Want