AI Academy | AI for Software & Technology

AI for Software and Technology Course Series

The software industry, built on a model of linear headcount growth and manual execution, has reached a breaking point defined by technical debt and subscription fatigue. Artificial intelligence is no longer just a feature to be added; it is a fundamental shift in the unit economics of intelligence that threatens to disrupt the core "seat-based" business model. This four-course certificate series is a strategic and tactical guide for technology leaders and practitioners to navigate this transition, move from "tools" to "agents," and build a durable competitive advantage in the age of AI.

Purchase Options

4 Course Series Duration 3+ hours
Released Dec 2025

Course Level Beginner to Intermediate

Certification Professional certificate awarded after exam

Format On-demand videos to learn at your own pace

About This Series

This professional certificate series provides a complete journey from strategic understanding to tactical execution within the software and technology sector. The series begins by diagnosing the fragility of the "Old World" model—from the leaky talent pipeline to the "death of the UI"—and establishing the data-backed case for why the industry is shifting toward "Service-as-Software."

It then equips you with the core mental models needed to rethink strategy, focusing on three tectonic shifts: moving from interactive tools to autonomous agents, pivoting from seat-based pricing to outcome-based monetization, and building context moats rather than feature moats . The series culminates in a hands-on capstone where you will apply frameworks for technology selection and master essential skills like advanced prompting and deep research to solve real-world engineering and business challenges.

You'll Learn To

Analyze the structural fragilities of the traditional software model and the economic imperative for AI transformation.
Navigate the three core strategic shifts: moving from tools to agents, redefining value from seats to outcomes, and building defensibility through context.
Apply a dual-framework system—the bottom-up Use Case Model and top-down Problem-Based Model—to build a data-driven AI roadmap for your specific role.
Master a structured process for selecting the right AI technology using the Three Tiers of AI Technology framework while navigating risks like "AI Debt" and security vulnerabilities.
Gain hands-on experience using advanced reasoning models, deep research tools, and custom AI assistants to automate workflows and accelerate innovation.

Key Questions Addressed

This series provides a comprehensive playbook for professional services leaders asking the most critical questions about the future:

How do we break the linear relationship between headcount and revenue to achieve efficient growth?
What does the “Great Unbundling” of the SaaS stack mean for our product roadmap and user interface?
How can we transition our pricing models to capture value based on outcomes rather than user seats?
How do we build a durable competitive advantage when AI makes features easy to copy?
How do we move from high-level strategy to actually using these tools to reduce technical debt and accelerate development?

Who It's For

This certificate series is designed for:

Write a personal "AI-Forward Pledge" to formalize your commitment to evolving from a passive observer to an active participant.
Develop an "AI-Forward Strategic Checklist" to guide your firm's high-level strategy around pricing, moats, and automation.
Build a comprehensive Use Case Workbook and Problem-Based Workbook to create a prioritized, actionable AI roadmap.
Execute a final, hands-on capstone lab to master advanced prompting, build custom GPTs, and apply deep research techniques.

What You'll Do

Write a personal "AI-Forward Pledge" to formalize your commitment to evolving from a passive observer to an active participant.
Develop an "AI-Forward Strategic Checklist" to guide your firm's high-level strategy around pricing, moats, and automation.
Build a comprehensive Use Case Workbook and Problem-Based Workbook to create a prioritized, actionable AI roadmap.
Execute a final, hands-on capstone lab to master advanced prompting, build custom GPTs, and apply deep research techniques.

Course Syllabus

Course 1: The State of AI for Software and Technology
This foundational course provides a data-driven overview of the current and future impact of AI on the software and SaaS industry. You will diagnose the "Old World" fragility—from the leaky engineering pipeline to the high-friction sales model—and explore how the vertical collapse in the cost of intelligence is enabling a new "Service-as-Software" paradigm.

What You’ll Learn
- Analyze the structural fragility of the "Old World" software model, including technical debt and the non-scalable reliance on human capital.
- Understand the magnitude of "The Change," driven by the collapse in the cost of intelligence and massive capital consolidation.
- Visualize the "New World" of the AI-Native Enterprise, characterized by the shift from deterministic tools to probabilistic agents.
- Identify the "Service-as-Software" disruption and the "Great Unbundling" of the traditional SaaS stack.
- Adopt the "AI-Forward" mindset required to move from being a passive user to an active orchestrator of intelligence.
Course 2: The Future of Software: Core AI-Forward Strategies
This course moves beyond disruption to focus on strategic response. It explores the three fundamental shifts AI is causing: the move from Tools to Agents, the economic pivot from Seats to Outcomes, and the rise of Context Moats over Feature Moats. You will come away with a strategic framework to evaluate your product roadmap, pricing model, and competitive defensibility.

What You’ll Learn
- Implement the first strategic shift—"Tools to Agents"—by identifying where software can perform work autonomously rather than just aiding humans.
- Navigating the second strategic shift—"Seats to Outcomes"—by understanding the risks of the per-seat pricing model in an age of AI efficiency.
- Leverage the third strategic shift—"Features to Context"—to build defensible moats based on proprietary data and memory rather than easily copied features.
- Formulate the right strategic questions to identify your organization's biggest vulnerabilities and opportunities.
Course 3: Finding Your AI Advantage in Software and Technology
About This Course

This course is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to operationalize your AI strategy. You will master two powerful frameworks: the bottom-up Use Case Model for finding quick-win efficiencies, and the top-down Problem-Based Model for driving strategic innovation. Using custom AI tools like JobsGPT and CampaignsGPT, you will leave this course with a prioritized list of use cases and problem statements ready for implementation.

What You’ll Learn
- Apply the Use Case Model to systematically deconstruct jobs like Software Engineering or Account Management into a "bundle of tasks" ripe for AI.
- Leverage custom AI tools like JobsGPT and CampaignsGPT to rapidly generate and document potential use cases and workflows.
- Utilize the Problem-Based Model to identify, articulate, and prioritize strategic business challenges—like technical debt or churn—that AI can solve.
- Quantify the value of AI initiatives by calculating estimated hours saved and financial impact.
- Build and complete the Piloting AI Use Case and Problem-Based Workbooks to create your personalized, actionable AI roadmap.
Course 4: Applied AI for Software and Technology
This final, hands-on course moves you from the 'what' of your action plan to the 'how' of implementation. You'll learn to navigate the unique operational risks of AI in software—like security vulnerabilities and "AI Debt"—and apply the Three Tiers of AI Technology framework to select the right tools. The course culminates in a hands-on lab where you will master essential skills: advanced prompting, building custom GPTs, deep research, and RAG with NotebookLM.

What You’ll Learn
- Navigate the specific risks of AI in software, including security vulnerabilities in generated code, IP ownership, and "Vibe Coding".
- Apply the Three Tiers of AI Technology framework to evaluate Existing Tech, Frontier Models, and Third-Party Tools.
- Vet new AI vendors using the "Three Ps" framework: Problem, Provider, and Proof.
- Master the art of advanced, high-context prompting using the "5-Part Framework" (Role, Task, Context, Examples, Format).
- Build reusable Custom GPTs to scale your intelligence and standardize workflows like code reviews or sprint analysis.
- Deploy Deep Research agents and grounded AI tools like NotebookLM to synthesize information and eliminate hallucinations.
Final Exam

“This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. ”

Dshanya Reese
Strategic Insurance Marketer

"This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. "

Erin Carpenter
Sr. Digital Marketing Director

"This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. This is an amazing placeholder testimonial. "

Yadin Porter de León
Leading Global CXO

About the Instructor

Mike Kaput is a marketing and business AI expert, speaker, and author. In his role as SmarterX’s Chief Content Officer, he uses dozens of powerful AI tools daily to increase productivity and performance across hundreds of use cases. And his actionable talks can teach you and your team how to do the same thing.

Mike’s talks help companies of every size in any industry to capture massive productivity and performance gains using practical AI knowledge, use cases, and tools. They also make AI approachable and accessible for professionals at every level and in every function.

The result is that companies in every industry—including The Financial Times, Vimeo, and Vodafone—have come away from Mike’s talks armed with everything they need to start building a competitive advantage with AI.

Related Courses

Intro to AI

Intro to AI

Our Intro to AI free class will help you understand what AI is and what it’s capable of doing. Professionals of all levels are encouraged to join. Data science and machine learning experience is not required!

Register Now

5 Steps Thumbnail2

5 Essential Steps to Scaling AI

Take the first step in your AI learning journey. Join us for a 60-minute free webinar to learn what AI is, and how it impacts businesses and knowledge workers.

Register Now