Learn AI with Jyothi

Context Engineering: Building Smarter AI Systems

Jyothi Nookula

Director at Netflix (ex- Meta AI, AWS AI, and Etsy AI/ML)

Understand what context is, why it matters, and how to design it to improve your AI product’s performance.

Context Engineering Fundamentals

Develop frameworks to maintain consistent context across features while enabling rapid iteration and testing

Build Scalable Context Management for Product Teams

Design repeatable input flows using tools, memory, and retrieval to scale beyond one-off prompt tricks.

Architect Inputs for Scalable AI Features

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

Leaders are remembered not just for their technical prowess but for the lasting impact they have on their team's careers and success. In an era where AI is transforming how teams work, the human side of leadership has never been more critical. This course equips both aspiring software engineering managers and experienced EMs alike with the essential interpersonal skills to amplify their influence and drive team performance. It leverages AI tools to enhance these fundamentally human leadership capabilities. Over 100 individual contributors (ICs) and EMs have already enhanced their leadership capabilities through this course. Join them and transform your approach to tech leadership for the AI era. -------- This interactive course will teach you how to solve 4 key problems faced by senior ICs and managers: 1️⃣ Identifying growth opportunities within your team and working with them to fill these missing areas—using both traditional mentoring approaches and AI-powered insights to personalize development plans 2️⃣ Communicating with clarity and impact with direct reports, peers, and upper management—enhanced with AI tools for message preparation, follow-up analysis, and communication refinement 3️⃣ Delivering constructive, actionable feedback that drives real improvement—using proven frameworks plus AI assistance for better situation analysis and delivery optimization 4️⃣ Balancing AI adoption with human needs by helping your team to navigate the challenges of AI integration while maintaining team trust and unity ------- For the duration of this course you'll receive: • 4 live sessions over 2 weeks hours over Zoom, with interactive lessons and breakout sessions• Hands-on learning by walking through case studies and real-life examples with your cohort• Templates and AI prompts you can immediately start using on the job• In-depth live Q&amp;A sessions to get immediate answers to your on-the-job questions• Recording and slides for future reference and review ------- Great leadership is more than just your title, it’s about supporting and growing the people around you. This is a course designed to give technical managers the skills and tools they need to become effective, influential leaders that can inspire teams as well as manage them. You’ve put in the hard work to get to management level, and on completing this course you’ll have the skills to prove yourself as a leader.

What makes a great engineering leader in the modern AI era?

Session 1: Become the leader your team needs<ul><li>Identifying the types of high performers on your team</li><li>Managing medium and low performers</li><li>Using AI to identify trends in performance</li></ul>

Tuesday, August 19

Session 2: Career development without the noise<ul><li>Breaking down the 1:1</li><li>Quarterly development planning for your team</li><li>Building an AI bot to help you write QDPs</li></ul>

Thursday, August 21


Session 3: Communicate like a leader<ul><li>Managing expectations with your team</li><li>Negotiating with your PM and EM peers</li><li>Managing up in your organization</li><li>How to use AI to assist in these conversations</li></ul>

Tuesday, August 26


Session 4: Feedback and conflict without the fear<ul><li>Reframing your own views of feedback</li><li>Tactical feedback delivery framework</li><li>Practicing giving feedback with AI</li><li>Feedback case study</li></ul>

Thursday, August 28


New and experienced managers looking to build the interpersonal skills required to succeed as a leader in the AI era

Technical managers who want to develop their team and build influence across their company while navigating AI adoption

Aspiring managers looking to lay the groundwork to create impact as an IC and future leader, preparing for an AI-transformed workplace

Who this course is for:

After taking this course, you'll be able to:

Your success as a leader is measured by your team's execution, and to execute well, you need a great team. Learn to identify strengths, empower growth, and navigate AI's impact on team dynamics.

Build and scale a high performing team

1:1s and performance reviews don't have to be stressful. Learn how to keep the feedback loop active by applying proven frameworks and AI tooling to conduct meaningful 1:1s and provide tactical, actionable feedback to your team on a regular cadence.

Conduct impactful 1:1s and development check-ins

From performance management to resource allocation, learn frameworks for tough calls while leveraging AI for better information gathering. We'll cover how to gather the right information, involve the right people, and confidently communicate decisions upward and downward.

Make difficult decisions with confidence

Learn how to give constructive feedback from a trained therapist! Master effective communication strategies for conflict resolution within your team to build influence within your organization. Discover how AI can help you prepare for conversations and follow up effectively.

Navigate challenging conversations with peers and direct reports

Balance AI advancement with human needs, ensuring your team thrives in an AI-augmented workplace. Learn to maintain psychological safety during change, help team members adapt their skills, and create an environment where both AI tools and human creativity can flourish.

Lead through AI transformation

Master essential people skills to transform from technical expert to impactful leader in today's AI-driven tech landscape.

Kelly Vaughn

Cohort 5

Cohort 6

The challenge in this new AI era: so much is changing, there's so much to learn, and there's so little time. Right? And the problem compounds as more time passes. You might be* using ChatGPT every day, but feel uncertain as to why certain OpenAI models or tools respond the way they do.* getting marginal utility out of AI, but struggling to use the tools in a way that doesn't feel burdensome and high effort.* feeling like everyone else is using techniques and tools that are leaving you behind (should you use Claude Code? hint: yes). Look, even power users who constantly talk to AI products every day aren't getting everything out of it that they should. But it's essential to become excellent at your foundational understanding and usage today, here, in 2025, because things are only getting crazier. The core thesis of this course is to move you beyond 'prompt engineering,' as you've heard described elsewhere. It's more fundamental than that. There are 3 pillars: 1. MODEL MECHANICSFoundational understanding of large language models, transformers, and attention mechanisms – whether you're a chef or lawyer or software engineer, you'll be able to get the why behind large language models, chain of thought, reasoning, tool use, vision, and prompt sensitivity. 2. MENTAL MODELSDurable tactics and frameworks for how to talk to AI across interfaces – move from copy-pasting the latest prompt templates to never using a prompt template again, because you'll know how to engage these models to get 10x better results than your peers. Seriously. 3. FUTURE FORWARDHow generative AI is evolving, from the models to the applications to the future of work – get a lens for what people are talking about inside the research labs, how jobs are definitely change &amp; how they might change, the latest applications, and trends to watch out for. What I seek to give you is not just tactics that work today but permanent understanding that will last as new models are released, new tools are built, and the world changes around us. It's a universal fluency that will keep you ahead. Just as language fluency isn't about memorizing phrases from a travel guidebook, AI fluency isn't about collecting prompts from Twitter. Most courses teach you what to say to an AI chatbot. This course teaches you how to think about AI foundationally. It's the difference between learning to order coffee in French versus understanding why French speakers structure their thoughts the way they do. We'll also cover:• How to consistently and easily judge new models as they're released for task-specific competence• Nuances between reasoning, agentic, task-based, and primitive models• Current power rankings based on real-world application (not biased evals) We'll play with advanced uses of:• Foundational SOTA models, like o3-pro, GPT 4.5, Deep Research, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Claude Sonnet 4• Agentic tools like Claude Code, Warp, Replit, Manus, GenSpark, and Devin• Wrapper tools like Gamma, Napkin, and Perplexity• My cheat code apps to 10x your workflow,&nbsp;both in ease and speed I'll share my theory on&nbsp;the future of work.And the&nbsp;OSD Framework&nbsp;I've developed to help people get ahead of the curve.You'll learn about the 3 core muscles I believe every job will distill down to:•&nbsp;Orchestration, the architect of AI-enabled systems•&nbsp;Supervision, the human-in-the-loop steering or polishing outputs•&nbsp;Delivery, the last-mile getting AI value to its end-user We'll go through CRITICAL concepts most people miss, including:* thinking in tokens* model training and fine-tunes* AI assistants v agents* diffusion and task-specific models* image and video model nuances* third party AI v foundational models* why I think you should NEVER use Perplexity At the end of this 3-day intensive, you'll...• be excellent at getting the outputs you want and need from AI models for any use case, from initial prompts to debugging to systems – seriously, a past student said: "I feel like I went from GPT-4 to GPT-7 after this course."• have seen how the latest models and tools work in their most unleashed format, with an understanding of agents as the future – and how to evaluate them, build them, and use them across use cases and interfaces.• future-proof your skills - because you're going to have a&nbsp;deep understanding&nbsp;of how these products work, you'll remain capable of using them as the models are continuously updated and evolved, even as the rapid pace of AI development continues. This course is for ANYONE who doesn't already consider themselves top 0.5% in both AI skill and ecosystem knowledge, and wants to grow their AI skillset with no-frills, no-BS intensity. No technical expertise required. Past students come from both inside and outside the tech industry, and have included:* product managers, startup founders, and early AI builders* software engineers, designers, marketers, operations leaders* analysts, bankers, and teachers* doctors, lawyers, and academics* chefs, frontline managers, students Want a taste of the course? Check out my video on why I think you're being lied to about AI agents: https://youtu.be/MoMxKF5duXI

Everything's changing. Become top 0.5% at using AI to future-proof yourself.

3 days of live classes

Can't make it to the live classes or want to watch them again later? We'll make each day's content available same-day for all students.

Access recordings forever

There will be several projects and optional group workshops to turn the content into usable muscle - attend live for instructor feedback, or access projects, examples, and templates at your own pace - including permanent access after the course ends.

Daily projects (optional)

Non-technical, semi-technical, or technical professionals (throughout knowledge work) looking to gain an upper hand in this AI moment.

Anyone who has felt the gap between AI's potential, what they hear about what it can do, and their ability to access the upside.

NOT for people who already read arXiv papers and know who roon is. NOT for people looking for quick prompt templates.

You'll learn about the cognitive architecture that underpins not just LLMs, but the way that products and apps are built around them. These patterns will work across AI models and will continue working as systems evolve.

Instead of AI prompt templates, learn conversational design patterns

It's hard for even the most AI-passionate people to integrate and reliably, consistency use AI products. I'll give you systems, shortcuts, and methods for making it second nature -- we'll build your AI muscle.

Instead of treating ChatGPT like a magic answer box, you'll make it a constant companion

You'll know why even non-engineers should use Claude Code, how you should judge new tools, methods for integrating AI into your workflows, and feel in command of the future rather than chasing fake Zapier or n8n workflows that overpromise and underdeliver.

Instead of not knowing where to go next, you'll have an AI tech stack

You'll master the art of progressive refinement, building complex outputs and systems, and be able to leverage all of this to be top .5% in your field -- whether that's at work, with a hobby, with a side project, or with something personal.

Instead of being left behind, you'll get and stay ahead of the AI curve

Build permanent AI muscle: master the foundations of how AI actually works and future-proof tactics on making them work excellently for you.

Sherveen Mashayekhi

Founder & CEO @ Free Agency; Product Leader @ Stella (AI job matching), Toptal

Common Challenges Faced by PMs in AI Projects 1- Justifying AI decisions and demonstrating ROI to stakeholders. 2- Navigating the hype versus the real capabilities of AI. 3- Communicating across teams without deep technical knowledge. 4- Dealing with inconsistent, missing, or messy data. 5- Aligning priorities and expectations between product and engineering. 6- Addressing ethical risks and bias in AI systems. 7- Keeping up with rapidly evolving tools, frameworks, and best practices. If these are your challenges lately then this course is for you. It’s a hands-on, live, interactive course designed for Engineers and technical Product Managers. Perfect for those with a strong familiarity with technical development and who enjoy building prototypes. What You'll Learn 1- Translate AI concepts into clear business value propositions. 2- Ground product roadmaps in realistic technical constraints and opportunities. 3- Communicate effectively with engineering teams—no deep ML expertise required. 4- Apply practical frameworks to align product vision with technical execution. 5- Navigate messy or incomplete data to build functional, user-centric solutions. 6- Identify and address ethical and bias-related risks early in development. 7- Select scalable AI tools that support long-term product growth. 8- Craft metrics and narratives that demonstrate AI impact to stakeholders. 9- Build prototypes with no-code tools like Lovable to quickly test and validate ideas. Course Format - Duration: 4-5 weeks- Live, instructor-led sessions with interactive discussions- Real-world case study following an AI product from discovery to deployment- Hands-on activities to apply frameworks and concepts- Access to a community of peers for collaboration and support Why This Course is Unique For the first time ever, a Product Manager and an Engineer are joining forces to teach AI product management. This unique collaboration combines product strategy with technical know-how, giving you the tools to not only understand AI’s potential but also execute successful AI projects from start to finish. Through this course, you’ll have access to a dedicated channel where you can ask questions, share challenges, and connect with peers and instructors. After each live session, you’ll receive a recording to review at your own pace, ensuring you never miss important details. You’ll walk away with a deep understanding of how to scope, prioritize, and launch AI products that drive tangible results and create value across teams. Who this course is not for: If you are someone who is expecting to do plenty of hands-on coding.

Leading Cross-Functional AI Product Development

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

June 21 - July 20, 2025

Product Managers new to AI or looking to deepen their AI skills to lead AI Products and collaborate effectively with AI tech teams

AI Engineers, Software Engineers and Engineering Leaders looking to collaborate effectively with Product leads to drive successful outcomes

Program, Project, Strategy, Marketing, UX Design/Research and Business Leaders seeking an understanding of how to bring AI Products to mark

How to set learning intentions and align on goals so you can collaborate meaningfully in the cohort. You'll leave with clarity on the case study and your learning journey.

Introductions & Case Study Kickoff

You’ll develop the skills to translate complex AI outcomes into clear business value, ensuring stakeholder alignment and securing the support you need to move projects forward.

Communicate AI product value to leadership and cross-functional teams

How to frame and prioritize AI use cases so you can discover viable, high-impact product ideas. You'll leave with a prioritized list and prototyping prompts.

Master iterating on AI products: gather feedback, improve, and scale

Learn AI with clear, jargon-free explanations from Deepa, an ML Engineer with over 8 years of experience. You’ll master foundational concepts so you can make informed decisions and speak the language of your tech team.

Learn core ML/AI Foundational concepts and know when to apply them in real product scenarios.

Learn to identify use cases where AI can drive real value and spot scenarios where it’s overkill. Armed with this clarity, you’ll make smarter decisions, avoid costly missteps, and build products that solve problems without creating new ones, like bias or user distrust.

Understand where AI can be leveraged effectively and where it won’t help

Foster true collaboration with your technical teams, ensuring your product vision aligns with their realities. You’ll gain frameworks to bridge the gap between product goals and technical constraints, enabling you to ship AI products faster and more effectively.

Collaborate seamlessly with data scientists and engineers to build winning AI products

Tackle the ethical minefield of AI with confidence by learning to identify and address issues like bias, fairness, and privacy concerns before they derail your product; keeping your users safe and your company out of hot water.

Navigate ethical and regulatory challenges in AI

Learn to evaluate the right technologies for every stage of product development. Whether it’s choosing the best LLM for a chatbot or a vectorization tool for search functionality, you’ll build a toolkit that saves time, cuts costs, and delivers results tailored to your goals.

Leverage the best AI tools to enhance productivity as part of daily workflows

You’ll learn to account for AI’s unique challenges, like data prep, model training, and iteration cycles, so you can deliver on time without compromising quality or over-promising.

Design realistic and relevant AI timelines to meet business objectives

Among the sea of Gen AI Tools, use the right ones that can drastically improve your productivity as a product manager

Leverage Gen AI Tools to increase productivity

Build higher-quality AI products! Live course for PMs & Engineers to apply proven frameworks & bridge product-tech gaps.

Lightning Lessons

Context Engineering: Building Smarter AI Systems