Jeremy Howard of fast.ai introduces "How To Solve It With Code," a 5-week course and software platform designed to address a common frustration with AI-assisted development. The course targets the problem where developers, after an initial "magical" experience, hit a wall when trying to modify, debug, or extend AI-generated code. The proposed solution is the "Solveit method," an approach inspired by George Pólya's classic book and fast.ai's "learning by doing" philosophy. This method emphasizes building in small, iterative steps with immediate feedback to foster deep understanding, craftsmanship, and human agency, positioning itself as an antidote to the trend of large, opaque AI-generated artifacts. The course includes access to the new "Solveit platform," a private, cloud-based Linux development environment that integrates AI tools with a focus on user control and learning. The announcement also highlights a collaboration with Eric Ries, creator of The Lean Startup, framing the Solveit method as a micro-level application of lean principles focused on shortening feedback loops.
A New Approach to Building with AI: The "Solveit" Method and Course
The Core Problem: The course addresses the common issue where the initial "magic" of AI coding tools fades, leaving developers stuck when they need to make changes, add features, or fix bugs in AI-generated code.
The "Solveit Method": This is a new methodology for coding, writing, and problem-solving that emphasizes:
Small Steps & Quick Iterations: Writing only 1-2 lines of code at a time and immediately verifying the result.
Immediate Feedback: Creating a tight feedback loop to ensure understanding at every step.
Human Agency & Craftsmanship: Putting the developer in control and fostering a deeper understanding of the code, in contrast to generating large, complex, and hard-to-understand codebases with AI.
Course Details: The 5-week course (starting Nov 3rd) includes:
10 project-based lessons covering web apps, data tools, and writing.
Access to all 16 lessons from the previous preview course.
Full access to the new "Solveit" software platform until the end of 2025.
A thriving Discord community and live support from the fast.ai team.
A 1-click, full refund policy within the first two weeks.
The Solveit Platform: A custom-built, private, cloud-based Linux development and writing environment that combines the best features of ChatGPT, Jupyter, and code editors, specifically designed to support the Solveit method.
Collaboration with Eric Ries: Eric Ries, creator of The Lean Startup, is a co-founder and will teach lessons in the course. The Solveit method and the Lean Startup are presented as "two sides of the same coin," both centered on shortening iteration cycles and learning quickly from feedback.
Target Audience: The course is for those who are at least somewhat comfortable with code (Python recommended) and want to deeply understand what they are building, rather than just copy-pasting.
Future of fast.ai: This course serves as a foundation for a series of planned future courses on more specific topics, including how LLMs work, creating web apps from scratch, server administration, and building startups, all of which will leverage the Solveit platform and methodology.