Workshop: Introduction to Programming with AI

This is a hands-on workshop — it's highly recommended to bring a laptop with VS Code and Claude Code ( pro plan is fine ) setup. If you don't have one, join anyway for the presentation, and you can pair up with someone on the exercises. If you have a spare, bring an extension cord or a power strip as well to ensure all of the tables have power if needed.

In this session we'll be exploring how AI is changing the programming workflow — what it's great at, where it falls short, and how to get the most out of it. We'll start with an introductory overview before diving into the practical side of things.

We'll cover the basics of Claude Code and VS Code, then walk through a live demo of a basic project setup and simple build so you can see the full process from start to finish. The main presentation will be shown on a central screen so everyone can follow along.

From there, the session becomes audience-led — we'll workshop PRDs (Product Requirement Documents) for features that we'll build together in real time. We'll also demonstrate closed-circuit testing using Playwright and an MCP Chrome extension, so you can see how to verify your work as you go.

If you'd like a hands-on experience, feel free to bring your own laptop with Claude Code and VS Code already set up. During the session there will be time to experiment and build alongside the demos.
Whether you're a complete beginner curious about AI-assisted development, a student looking to accelerate your learning, or someone who wants to see what modern AI tooling can do — this workshop has something for you.

This event is a collaboration with Auckland AI Collective, We'll be delivering and facilitating the workshop together. Please only register with one of the event listings; and if there are no remaining spaces, check the other listing for available seats here