Building Software with AI: A Claude Code Deep Dive

Part of the AI Sprint: six weeks of events across Guernsey, 1 October to 12 November 2026.

What this session is

Damien Guard — a locally-based software engineer with career stops at Microsoft, Netflix, GitHub and MongoDB — shares practical, real-world guidance on building software with AI, from first prompts through to skills, MCP servers and feedback loops. This isn't AI hype: it's grounded in Damien's own side projects and professional work, including shipping a major framework upgrade to a 2,700-file production codebase in under an hour.

Who it is for
Developers and technical leads curious about AI-assisted coding — from complete beginners to those already using tools like Copilot or Cursor who want to go deeper. Some familiarity with writing or reviewing code will help you get the most from it, though it's pitched to be accessible throughout.

What you will leave with

• A clear framework for when to hand AI a big task vs. a small one, and why it matters for code quality
• Practical techniques: CLAUDE.md files, custom skills, and MCP servers for extending what your AI agent can do
• An honest look at the risks — hallucinated confidence, over-reliance, prompt injection — and how to manage them
• Real examples from production use, not just demos

What to bring or prepare

Nothing required — just bring your questions.

About the AI Sprint

The Guernsey AI Sprint is an island-wide programme, led by the G8, bringing together businesses, organisations, and individuals to explore, learn, and act on artificial intelligence. From October 1st to November 12th, we'll run workshops, talks, hackathons, and hands-on challenges designed to move Guernsey from AI curiosity to AI confidence.

Whatever your starting point, there is something on the programme for you.

See the full programme and book other sessions: ai-sprint.gg

Questions about this event? Email hello@ai-sprint.gg