How a 14 Year Old Student is Building with AI at Alpha School

I sat down with Ali Romman, a 14-year-old freshman at Alpha School in Austin who’s already using AI like a co-founder. He’s vibe coding an MVP in public and building an AI-powered tool that helps people design and buy the right gaming PC, even if they know nothing about computers.

This conversation is a real look at what kids are facing right now: AI in schools, cheating vs learning, what guardrails actually work, and why the new “gap” isn’t access to tools, it’s curiosity, initiative, and how fast you can learn.

Topics we cover:

• AI isn’t “coming”, it’s already in the classroom: what that actually looks like day-to-day
• Cheating vs learning: where Ali draws the line and why boundaries matter
• College and how AI is changing the value of traditional education
• Vibe coding a real MVP: how Ali’s building a PC configurator + chatbot
• Building in public at 14: confidence, pressure, and learning at startup speed
• Fail fast mindset: getting beta testers and feedback instead of guessing forever

Tools, Platforms, and References Mentioned:

• ChatGPT, Gemini 3 Pro, Claude 4.5 Opus
• Alpha School (https://alpha.school/)
• Cline (VS Code extension) (https://cline.bot/)
• Cursor
• “Fail Fast, Fail Often” (book) (https://www.amazon.com/Fail-Fast-Often-Losing-Help/dp/0399166254)

Who this episode is for:

• Founders and builders who want a glimpse of what the next generation is actually doing with AI
• Parents trying to navigate “should my kid use AI?” (spoiler: they already are)
• Educators and school leaders thinking about ethical AI policies and real guardrails
• Anyone who needs proof that you don’t need permission, credentials, or a CS degree to build now

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only, not legal, financial, medical, business, technical, or other professional advice. Guest views are their own. Information may change, and accuracy, safety, or results are not guaranteed. Verify information and consult a qualified professional before acting. To the fullest extent permitted by law, The AI Movement, Brooke Gramer, and EmpowerFlow Strategies LLC disclaim liability arising from reliance on this content.