Learn how to build real apps — by making AI do the work
- Bring an idea, leave with a prototype, bot, or working app. - Build side‑by‑side with live Q&A and hands‑on guidance. - Learn a reusable planning and prompting process which works for any idea.
Great for first‑timers and seasoned devs alike.
The power of AI built into your app
- Integrate FoundationModels or MLX.swift for private on‑device inference. - Add support for popular LLMs like OpenAI and Claude to ship features your users will actually use. - Learn proven patterns for privacy, performance, and scale.
For Apple developers who want real AI results — without the hype.
Master the essentials that actually help
- Learn planning and prompting techniques that deliver reliable results. - Explore tools that simplify your work and spark ideas. - Build confidence to use AI every day, in ways that matter.
Whether you’re starting fresh or already dabbling, bring all the questions you have and leave with sharper, more practical AI skills.
Custom AI training for your organization
- A session tailored around your team’s goals and challenges. - Perfect for internal training, upskilling, or solving targeted problems with AI. - Group workshops include prep and support to make sure your team gets the most out of the session.
Ready to design something that fits your needs? Let's talk.
Getting started is easy, personalized, and built around you.
In under three hours you’ll have the skills to build your own ideas, tools, and apps. Dozens of people from all backgrounds — including those with zero technical experience — have taken these workshops and built something real
Senior iOS Developer @ Adobe
"Joe's AI workshop was eye-opening. Not only did it improve my AI productivity, but it's made me a better communicator with my co-workers as well. I went in having had a bit of experience with writing code with an LLM, but I ended up getting stuck all too often. Now I have techniques to make more detailed inputs for the tools, and I'm getting better results thanks to communicating better with them."
Staff PM @ Pinterest
"Joe's a rare combination of deep technical expertise and aptitude for teaching. Having taught me patiently and cogently about AI development, he's cleared a dam for my personal ideas, which I've begun to bring to life. This workshop is a must for anyone with entrepreneurial desire and the interest to learn from one of the greats in Product Engineering today."
Partnerships Director @ Metalab
"As someone new to software development, Joe was an incredible teacher. He explained things clearly and always pointed me in the right direction. The session was practical and applicable, but not strictly instructional, encouraging me to think critically about how to apply what I was learning. I learned valuable lessons and techniques that I could use beyond the workshop, and I’m excited to keep growing and share what I’ve learned with others in my organization."
Engineering Manager
"In just a few hours Joe showed me how to map my years of software engineering experience into a modern AI-focused workflow. Together we planned and then built a simple app to record Wordle game results, and along the way I had several "aha!" moments that formed a solid understanding of how to work with these tools. I left feeling confident that I will be able to adapt to whatever new models and features arrive next."
Senior Engineer @ Square
"Joe helped me review my AI workflow and quickly spotted improvements that made an immediate impact. Watching his process as a fellow iOS developer gave me a clear picture of how top engineers use AI to code more effectively. He is an exceptional teacher who asks the right questions, shares valuable insights, and makes complex ideas easy to apply. The workshop left me more confident, efficient, and inspired to push my projects further."
Operations Manager @ OWN IT
"Working with Joe transformed my approach to using AI. I went from feeling stuck to successfully developing a robust MVP, through a structured, layered methodology that I now use in all my projects. His knowledge extends beyond AI, so combining his product development skills with clear and direct guidance made all the difference. Joe's insights have been invaluable to me, and his expertise will continue to influence how I build apps!"
Senior iOS Developer @ Adobe
"Joe's AI workshop was eye-opening. Not only did it improve my AI productivity, but it's made me a better communicator with my co-workers as well. I went in having had a bit of experience with writing code with an LLM, but I ended up getting stuck all too often. Now I have techniques to make more detailed inputs for the tools, and I'm getting better results thanks to communicating better with them."
Staff PM @ Pinterest
"Joe's a rare combination of deep technical expertise and aptitude for teaching. Having taught me patiently and cogently about AI development, he's cleared a dam for my personal ideas, which I've begun to bring to life. This workshop is a must for anyone with entrepreneurial desire and the interest to learn from one of the greats in Product Engineering today."
Partnerships Director @ Metalab
"As someone new to software development, Joe was an incredible teacher. He explained things clearly and always pointed me in the right direction. The session was practical and applicable, but not strictly instructional, encouraging me to think critically about how to apply what I was learning. I learned valuable lessons and techniques that I could use beyond the workshop, and I’m excited to keep growing and share what I’ve learned with others in my organization."
Engineering Manager
"In just a few hours Joe showed me how to map my years of software engineering experience into a modern AI-focused workflow. Together we planned and then built a simple app to record Wordle game results, and along the way I had several "aha!" moments that formed a solid understanding of how to work with these tools. I left feeling confident that I will be able to adapt to whatever new models and features arrive next."
Senior Engineer @ Square
"Joe helped me review my AI workflow and quickly spotted improvements that made an immediate impact. Watching his process as a fellow iOS developer gave me a clear picture of how top engineers use AI to code more effectively. He is an exceptional teacher who asks the right questions, shares valuable insights, and makes complex ideas easy to apply. The workshop left me more confident, efficient, and inspired to push my projects further."
Operations Manager @ OWN IT
"Working with Joe transformed my approach to using AI. I went from feeling stuck to successfully developing a robust MVP, through a structured, layered methodology that I now use in all my projects. His knowledge extends beyond AI, so combining his product development skills with clear and direct guidance made all the difference. Joe's insights have been invaluable to me, and his expertise will continue to influence how I build apps!"
Why AI Workshops
Hi, I'm Joe (@mergesort).
I'm an engineer, teacher, and mentor with a passion for making complex technology accessible.
My background: I spent years building products at scale — most recently as a tech lead at Twitter, where I worked on misinformation, disinformation, and civic integrity. Before that, I built products at startups like Timehop and Bitly. Today I'm an indie developer building Plinky, and teach others what I've learned at build.ms.
Why AI workshops? I currently help teach AI at Pursuit, a local non-profit. I've seen firsthand how transformative it can be when people truly understand these tools. AI can unlock creativity, spark ideas, solve problems — but only when you know how to use it well.
These workshops build on that teaching experience to make AI practical, approachable, and genuinely useful. No jargon, no pressure — just clear guidance and hands-on instruction. Whether you're just getting started or looking to level up, I'll help you build real skills and the confidence to use them.
Why AI Workshops
Absolutely! I use AI every day to help with product, design, engineering, writing, and more. This website was even built from a few hand-drawn sketches, Cursor, and a little guidance from me.
You can turn real ideas into working projects using AI. And because AI is evolving so fast, what feels hard today might be easy within just a few months — or even sooner.
We’ll focus on building real tools, web apps, and AI-driven workflows. Projects built with TypeScript or Python move fastest, so I highly recommend starting there. You’ll learn AI workflows and mental models that transfer across any language or platform.
I teach AI for iOS development too, but note that progress may be a tiny bit slower as AI tooling around Swift/SwiftUI is still improving. Regardless, you’ll still benefit by learning these skills first — and you’ll be ahead of the curve as AI integration improves.
I take pride in meeting people where they are, so every session is tailored to your goals. These aren't prerecorded videos or generic calls — they're real workshops, designed just for you. Before the workshop, I’ll reach out to learn more about what you're hoping to do. We’ll then structure the session around those goals, with plenty of space for questions, demos, and hands-on exploration.
It depends on your goals, but at a minimum you’ll need access to ChatGPT or Claude. You may also use tools like Cursor, LM Studio, or other libraries for working with AI models. I’ll send you a personalized checklist before your session, so you're fully set up and ready to go. If you run into any trouble, I’ll set aside time to guide you through setup — so you can focus on making real progress in our workshop.
No specific background is required! Most workshops are designed for beginners or experienced developers alike, but having some technical experience is recommended. The only exception is Integrating AI Into iOS & macOS Apps, which involves integrating AI into your own app — so having an existing app is important.
Nope! But it does help to have a basic understanding of coding. The hands-on workshops are project-based, and I’ll walk you through everything step-by-step. If you have coding experience, we’ll go deeper. If not, I’ll make sure you can still build something meaningful — and leave with real skills you can use again and again.
I do! I'm happy to work with teams and tailor each session to your needs. Group workshops may require extra time for setup or customization, but I’ll make sure your team gets the most out of the session. Please send me an email and we’ll figure out what would work best for your team.
Absolutely. I believe education should be accessible to everyone. I offer discounted rates for students, educators, and those from low-income households. Please send me an email to ask about discount options, and I’ll work with you to find something that fits your budget.