Skip to main content
arrow_backAll Courses
BEST FOR BEGINNERS

Foundations of AI-First Product Development

Tier 01

computerVirtualcalendar_monthStarts May 5, 2026scheduleTuesday · 7:00 PM EDT

Course Overview

This program introduces structured, AI-first product development. Participants will learn how to design, build, and deploy AI-enabled web applications using a production-oriented workflow. This is not a coding bootcamp. This is a systems-based introduction to AI-assisted product creation.

Goal Outcome

Design, build, and deploy AI-enabled web applications

Who This Is For

Participants seeking to learn AI-first product development

$1,500

Program Fee

Prerequisites

Basic computer literacy

Core Tools

Next.js, Supabase, OpenAI/Anthropic, Vercel, GitHub

Start Date

May 5, 2026 · 8 weeks

Your Instructors

Jason A. Oglesby

Jason A. Oglesby

Founder, Ergon Insights

Jason A. Oglesby is a technology leader and AI transformation strategist with 30+ years of software development experience. As the former CTO of Rev.io, a leading SaaS company, he led a 70+ person IT organization through a full-scale AI transformation where they created more software over his last 12 months than they had completed in the previous decade, all by embedding AI-first practices across every layer of the engineering process. Now running Ergon Insights, Jason consults with organizations on practical AI adoption, coaches technology leaders, and builds AI-powered software solutions using AI-first development practices and tools as core accelerators. Jason holds an MS in Business Analytics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and brings deep experience from leadership roles at IQVIA, Healthcare Data Solutions, and other technology companies. A veteran of the Army National Guard and a leadership practitioner grounded in Extreme Ownership principles, he's passionate about building people up alongside building technology. Based in Johnson City, Tennessee, Jason is committed to growing the Tri-Cities region into a technology hub, making Forge Academy a natural extension of that mission: equipping everyday problem-solvers with AI tools to build real software solutions in just six weeks.

Course Curriculum

1
Week 1AI-First Foundations & Shipping Fast
expand_more

Participants ship software in Week 1. Psychological shift: "I can build and deploy real software."

Topics

  • ›What AI-First Product Development means
  • ›Frontend vs Backend vs Database
  • ›Using AI as a structured development partner
  • ›Git fundamentals: commits, branches, and your first pull request
  • ›Deployment fundamentals

Deliverables

  • checkBuild and deploy AI Meeting Intelligence v0
  • checkLive deployed URL on Vercel
  • checkGitHub repository with at least 3 meaningful commits
  • checkScreenshot submission
  • checkWritten reflection: What I learned about AI-assisted development
2
Week 2Introduction to AI Integration
expand_more

Participants integrate AI into a functioning product and understand how it fails. Psychological shift: "I can build AI-enabled tools, and I know what happens when they break."

Topics

  • ›API fundamentals
  • ›Environment variables
  • ›Secure API key handling
  • ›Prompt structure basics
  • ›Structured outputs
  • ›Deliberate failure exercise: bad prompts, token overflows, rate limits, revoked keys

Deliverables

  • checkBuild AI Meeting Intelligence v1 with LLM integration
  • checkGenerate executive summaries, key decisions, and action items
  • checkDeploy updated product to production
  • checkComplete Failure Lab: document 3 failure modes with resolution strategies
  • checkReflection on prompt iteration and response quality
3
Week 3Refinement, Structure & Cost Awareness
expand_more

Participants understand AI cost and control. Psychological shift: "AI must be engineered, not blindly trusted."

Topics

  • ›Prompt refinement techniques
  • ›Structured JSON responses
  • ›Parsing AI output safely
  • ›Token awareness
  • ›Cost modeling basics
  • ›Responsible AI use

Deliverables

  • checkBuild AI Meeting Intelligence v2 with follow-up email draft generation
  • checkImplement tone selection (formal, concise, executive)
  • checkAdd basic usage tracking (count summaries per session)
  • checkImplement loading states and error handling
  • checkEstimate cost per 100 meetings
  • checkDocument guardrails implemented
4
Week 4Authentication & User Systems
expand_more

Participants understand production-level user systems and collaborative development. Psychological shift: "This is now a real product, and I work like a real developer."

Topics

  • ›What authentication is
  • ›Role of Supabase Auth
  • ›Protected routes
  • ›User-specific data storage
  • ›Row-level security fundamentals
  • ›Git branching and pull request workflow

Deliverables

  • checkBuild AI Meeting Intelligence v3 (multi-user version)
  • checkImplement user signup/login
  • checkCreate protected dashboard
  • checkSave transcript history per user and enforce data separation
  • checkSubmit all changes via pull request (not direct push to main)
  • checkComplete peer code review: give and receive written feedback
5
Week 5From Demo to Product
expand_more

Participants understand product reliability. Psychological shift: "I think like a product builder, not a hobbyist."

Topics

  • ›Observability basics
  • ›Logging principles
  • ›Reliability and failure modes
  • ›UX polish
  • ›Basic SaaS thinking
  • ›Branch-based workflow: all changes via PR from this point forward

Deliverables

  • checkBuild production-ready AI Meeting Intelligence v4
  • checkImplement usage limits (e.g., 5 summaries per day)
  • checkAdd basic analytics tracking (count summaries generated)
  • checkImprove UI states and error boundary handling
  • checkSubmit Product Maturity Checklist: API failure plan, cost limits, heavy-use risks
6
Week 6Capstone Design & Architecture
expand_more

Design and plan capstone project with instructor approval.

Topics

  • ›Product brief creation
  • ›Architecture design
  • ›Database schema planning
  • ›Scope definition

Deliverables

  • checkSubmit 1-page product brief (problem, target user, 3 core features, value prop, monetization)
  • checkCreate basic architecture diagram (frontend, backend, database, AI integration)
  • checkOutline database schema
  • checkSign scope contract committing to exactly 3 core features — no additions after approval
  • checkObtain instructor approval before development begins
7
Week 7Capstone Build Sprint
expand_more

Build sprint for capstone project with core AI feature.

Topics

  • ›Authentication implementation
  • ›Database integration
  • ›AI integration
  • ›Protected routes
  • ›Production deployment
  • ›Basic logging
  • ›Error handling
  • ›All code merged via pull request (no direct pushes to main)

Deliverables

  • checkMid-week milestone: core AI feature deployed and functioning
  • checkImplement authentication, database integration, and AI integration
  • checkAdd protected routes and deploy to production
  • checkImplement basic logging and error handling
  • checkAll changes merged via pull request — no direct pushes to main
8
Week 8Demo Day
expand_more

Present final capstone project with full product walkthrough and technical explanation.

Topics

  • ›Product presentation
  • ›Architecture overview
  • ›AI integration explanation
  • ›Cost modeling
  • ›Risk assessment
  • ›Future roadmap

Deliverables

  • checkPresent live deployed application — failure to deploy = incomplete
  • checkDeliver product walkthrough and architecture overview
  • checkExplain AI integration and demonstrate it live
  • checkPresent estimated cost model and risk considerations
  • checkShare future roadmap

Ready to Build?

Join the inaugural cohort and start shipping AI-powered products from week one.

View All Courses
Foundations of AI-First Product Development | FoundersForge AI Academy