AI Afterhours

The 3 Reasons Your AI App Isn’t Getting To Launch

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Amazon

Microsoft

PEAK6

Polly Allen

CEO of AI Career Boost, Ex-Alexa Principle Product Manager, MIT Alum.

Yuying Chen-Wynn

Head of AI, Chief Product Officer, MIT Alum.

Identify when your product vision requires complex or unstable tech, and what guidance you need to choose right.

Spot Product/Tech Misfit

Learn common pitfalls, how to avoid them, and when to seek expert guidance.

Escape Vibe Coding Pitfalls

Plan and execute custom go-to-market that fits your product and customers so your launch attracts real users and revenue

Nail Your GTM Plan

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 10-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.

Course syllabus

6 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)

Course schedule

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.

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

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.

Cohort 7

Sherveen Mashayekhi

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

Cohort 6

Cohort 8

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 is the time and space to learn by doing. I'll show you how to pick the right problems to solve with AI (and that will get you kudos from your bosses) and we will collectively build AI solutions together, live. Plus you'll walk away with frameworks and cheat sheets so that you can do it again and again -- and teach your team how to do it. Walk away not just with a working AI experiment, but with the skills and frameworks to become the go-to AI leader in your org. 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 YOUR REPEATABLE AI PLAYBOOKGain proven frameworks, vendor matrices, and checklists to de-risk projects and win buy-in: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

Walk away with a working AI experiment built on your own business problem — and the skills to become the go-to AI leader in your org.

Lauren Vriens

Cohort 1

Cohort 2

The ChallengeYour days are filled with:🗓️ back-to-back meetings,🚀 sky-high customer or investor expectations,⏱️ wishes that your team could move faster sooner,🔥 wishes that you could move even faster and work on what really matters instead of fighting fires. You start each day with the best intentions, but somehow find yourself constantly reacting instead of leading.&nbsp;Sure, it would be nice to focus on your own goals, but you care about those other people (or at least some of them 😁). They’re colleagues and customers, family and friends... How can you collaborate with them responsively without forsaking your goals and becoming just a (re-)Actor in their story? 🎬 ✨ You wonder if AI can help, you wonder how other leaders are using AI to manage it all and manage their teams—but honestly, who's got the time to figure that out? ⏳ You have a constant, lurking anxiety about what’s falling through the cracks or not getting done, so you work faster. As you try to move faster, people fall short of your expectations and their potential. It causes friction and frustration (even if you hide it well). It's uncomfortable to call out, so you avoid giving feedback or mention it lightly, which makes the situation more uncomfortable. Eventually, you decide to give feedback. Sometimes it goes okay. Often, you try to move through and out of the conversation as quickly as possible because it feels so awkward. Growth and improvements rarely last. You take on more work yourself to get it done. The Solution (Evidence-based. Immediately applicable.)⏱️&nbsp;EVERYTHING YOU READ BELOW WILL BE ORIENTED TO IMMEDIATE APPLICATION DURING THE COURSE ⏱️What if you could shift from reacting to the constant inputs to creating what matters most and leading your team in that direction--everyday? This course will support you, step by step, in building your Operating System to make this shift. Fancy apps aren't enough. Nor are bursts of motivation. A sustainable Operating System has 3 features:🧰 Tools (simple enough to keep using, and amplified by AI)🔁&nbsp;Habits (the tools don't use themselves...except for some of the AI ones we'll build)🧠 Mindsets (you can "productively" spend your life responding to other people's messages and requests--or build something that matters) No, "perfection" isn't possible (or even desirable). But our days--and our results--completely shift when we focus our attention systematically instead of ad-hoc and reactively. And our conversations shift when we stop trying to fix people and start inspiring them to take action and grow. We teach you how to do this by using straightforward approaches that reliably transform defensiveness and friction into self-reflection, connection, and motivation to grow. You will start to look forward to feedback conversations because you will know how to use them as powerful tools for building trust and deepening connection. You will also explore your own mindsets and beliefs around feedback, identifying your own patterns around conflict avoidance, people-pleasing, and controlling behaviors. AI is woven throughout the course, including:1️⃣ building your own Custom GPTs2️⃣&nbsp;mastering your calendar3️⃣ using AI as a practice partner for difficult conversations and coaching skills4️⃣ helping your team use AI, and so much more! Once you've shifted the way you manage yourself and lead your team conversations, applying evidence-based approaches tested with 1000s of managers and amplified with AI, the whole game becomes fun again. Bonus:📝 You will also get 5 step-by-step facilitation guides for sharing and teaching your team members everything we cover in this course. This helps establish shared language and frameworks within your team/organization, and positions you as the leader of change. 📖&nbsp;You'll also get our 20-page Offsite Playbook with step-by-step guidance on how to design and facilitate unforgettable team and company gatherings. 🚀 And you'll get to do this while in a practice lab with other high-growth leaders.

Spend your days fighting fires or each other?

Tuesdays (+ 1 Thursday)

Weekly Office Hours

High-Growth ManagersReady to move out of IC mode, you want to be the inspiring leader people thank for the rest of their careers.

ExecutivesYou know there's a better way than back-to-back meetings everyday. To scale your impact, you know you must scale yourself first

Startup FoundersYou're expanding your focus from building a product to building a team. And to do so, you need the team to step up fast.

You'll have the Inner and Outer Game in place:<ul><li>A systematic set of habits, tools, and mindsets to define What Matters Most each day and week</li><li>You'll be using your emotions as signals for what needs to happen next</li><li>Your mind will be at ease</li></ul>

Clear Focus & Emotional Balance

Whether you're currently intimidated by AI, curious, or all-in, you will:<ul><li>know exactly how to leverage Claude and ChatGPT to improve your skills and help you prepare for key conversations</li><li>have your own CustomGPT to do a recurring management task FOR you</li></ul>

AI As Your Ally (including your own CustomGPT)

<ul><li>Next Actions template (simplest tool possible to stay organized)</li><li>Weekly Preview Checklist (define what matters most and who should do it)</li><li>Daily Defining Checklist</li></ul>

The Operating System (feel on top of your s***)

<ul><li>Know how to decide WHAT to delegate to increase your leverage</li><li>Know HOW to delegate (to a person or AI) in ways that build confidence and follow-through</li></ul>

The Leverage Framework

<ul><li>GAIN Template for how to structure feedback conversations that inspire response-ability, action, and growth</li><li>how to use AI to prepare and practice</li></ul>

GAIN Feedback Framework

<ul><li>GROW Template for coaching conversations</li><li>The key skill to coach effectively</li><li>Know the difference between a feedback and a coaching conversation</li><li>how to use AI to practice and get feedback on a coaching conversation</li></ul>

GROW Coaching Framework

What if you felt on top of everything?
What if your team were aligning and growing through every conversation with you?

Jack Cohen

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

July 19 - Aug 10, 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 AI Products at Startups , Enterprises or on the side! https://testimonial.to/building-ai-products-bridging-product-tech-gaps/all

Lightning Lessons

The 3 Reasons Your AI App Isn’t Getting To Launch