AI Engineer
FreePractical methods for building software and automating work with AI.
FreeFree tier
About AI Engineer
The AI Engineer is a Substack newsletter by Owain Lewis, a seasoned software engineer with 20 years of experience. It delivers practical, hype-free methods for building software with AI, automating work, and leveraging modern AI tools like Claude Code and Codex. The newsletter covers coding agent workflows, AI automations, prompts, templates, setup guides, and breakdowns of new AI features—aimed at builders, creators, and technically savvy professionals who want to ship faster and do better work.
Key Features
Codex and Claude Code workflows
AI automations that run real jobs
Prompts, templates, and setup guides
Breakdowns of new AI features worth testing
Lessons from building AI Engineer courses and content systems
Practical methods for building useful software with AI
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Hype-free, practical focus on real-world building
- Authored by an experienced software engineer with 20 years in tech
- Covers both high-level strategy and deep technical workflows
- Free to subscribe with accessible content
- Includes ready-to-use prompts, templates, and setup guides
Cons
- Not a software tool but a newsletter—no hands-on product to use directly
- Content may require some technical background to fully benefit
- Single author perspective, limited diversity of viewpoints
- No mention of interactive tutorials or live support
Best For
Learning practical AI engineering without drowning in theoryAutomating work like email, research, planning, content, and business opsBuilding software with AI coding agentsStaying updated on new AI tools and featuresFor builders, creators, and software engineers seeking deeper technical content
FAQ
What is The AI Engineer?
The AI Engineer is a Substack newsletter by Owain Lewis that shares practical methods for building software, automating work, and getting more leverage from modern AI tools.
Who is The AI Engineer for?
It's for builders, creators, technically savvy professionals, and software engineers who want to use AI coding agents and automation to ship faster and do better work.
Is subscribing to The AI Engineer free?
The newsletter appears to offer a free subscription tier. The website includes a subscribe button without mentioning a paid plan.
What topics does the newsletter cover?
Topics include Codex and Claude Code workflows, building software with AI, AI automations, prompts, templates, setup guides, and breakdowns of new AI features.
Who is Owain Lewis?
Owain Lewis is the author of The AI Engineer. He has 20 years of experience in tech as a software engineer, tech lead, engineering manager, principal engineer, and director.