AI Interview Questions to Ask:
What Smart Candidates Ask
The questions you ask reveal as much as your answers.
Learn what to ask different interviewers to evaluate the role and demonstrate your value.
Don't Know What
to Ask Interviewers?
You blank when asked 'Do you have any questions for me?' at the end of interviews.
You're not sure what questions actually help you evaluate if the job is right.
You want to seem engaged but don't know which questions impress vs. annoy.
Ask Questions That Inform and Impress
The World-Class AI Engineer Cohort
Great questions serve two purposes: they help you evaluate the opportunity AND they demonstrate your thoughtfulness. Prepare different questions for different interviewers.
Questions for Recruiters
Process, timeline, team structure, and general company info
Questions for Engineers
Day-to-day work, technical challenges, team dynamics, and culture
Questions for Managers
Success criteria, growth opportunities, team challenges, and priorities
Questions to Avoid
Nothing easily Googled, nothing about benefits (yet), nothing negative
Meet Your Mentor
My aim has been the same for years: become a world-class AI engineer. Every career move I've made has been measured against that.
I started as a software tester on a $500/month internship in the Netherlands. Taught myself to code, learned to ship real systems, and worked my way to Senior Engineer at GitHub.
Then I left GitHub. I joined an AI research lab as Member of Technical Staff, where I currently build products for secure AI monitoring.
The cohort draws directly from my real experience so you can make progress fast.
I run this special cohort with only a few people because hands-on work with me is what it takes to bring you to become a world-class AI engineer.
Real Results
Vittor
AI Engineer
Built and deployed his portfolio piece, then landed the AI role
"The coaching played a huge part in my success. I focused on AI fundamentals, the certification path, and soft skills like professional writing. Having access to expert guidance gave me confidence during interviews and helped me feel I was on the right path.
I built my own platform (simple but functional) and deployed it on AWS. I used it in my portfolio and showcased it during interviews. The way complex topics were explained, especially the restaurant analogy for AI systems, really stuck with me. Focusing on doing the basics well was absolutely essential."
What You Will Get
8 Weekly Tuesday Sessions
3 hours each for 24 live hours total.
Project Scoping at Kickoff
We set the scope of what you'll ship and the milestones to get there before the live sessions start.
Code Reviews
Reviews of your code from Zen during the cohort.
Lifetime Demo Access
Every architecture demo is recorded and yours to keep.
Demo Day
You present what you built and get feedback from Zen, with a recording you can use in your portfolio.
12 Months Community Access
Included with the cohort.
Smart Questions Set You Apart. Prepare Them in Advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask recruiters in AI interviews?
Good recruiter questions: What does the interview process look like?, What's the timeline for this role?, How is the AI team structured?, What's the biggest priority for this hire?, Can you tell me about the team I'd be joining? Save detailed technical questions for engineers. Recruiters appreciate questions they can answer and that help them sell the role.
What should I ask engineers in AI interviews?
Good engineer questions: What does a typical day or week look like?, What's the most interesting AI problem you've worked on recently?, How are AI projects prioritized and scoped?, What's the biggest technical challenge the team faces?, How do you evaluate LLM output quality?, What would you change about the current AI infrastructure? These reveal real working conditions.
What should I ask hiring managers in AI interviews?
Good manager questions: How would you describe success in this role after 6 months?, What are the biggest challenges facing the AI team?, How do AI projects get prioritized against other engineering work?, What growth opportunities exist for someone in this role?, Why is this position open? Managers appreciate candidates who think about impact and growth.
What AI-specific questions should I ask in interviews?
AI-specific questions: What LLM providers do you use and why?, How do you handle AI cost management?, What's your evaluation strategy for AI outputs?, How do you approach AI safety and guardrails?, What's the ratio of building vs. integrating AI systems?, How mature is the AI infrastructure? These show you understand AI engineering challenges beyond just building cool demos.
What questions should I avoid in AI interviews?
Avoid: Questions answered on their website (shows lack of research), salary and benefits questions in early rounds (save for offer stage), negative questions about competitors or former employees, hypotheticals that put them on the spot, questions that reveal you haven't prepared ('So what does your company do?'). Also avoid asking zero questions—it signals disinterest.
I've signed up for cohorts before and dropped out. How is this different?
It probably isn't, and you should hold the money. Most cohort dropouts are people who couldn't articulate what they were shipping when they signed up. That's why the consult exists, and why I turn down most applications. If we get on the call and you can't tell me what you'll have shipped at the end of week 8, I'll point you to the AI Native Engineer community until you can.
I'm not pivoting careers. I want to build a product. Does this still work?
Yes, the cohort works for people shipping their first serious AI system whether the goal is to land a senior role or to launch a product. The shipped system serves both equally well.
Do I need prior AI experience?
You need to be able to code in Python or TypeScript. Complete beginners can follow the classroom they get access to before the cohort sessions to come in well-prepared.
How much time will this take?
You'll spend 3 hours every Tuesday in the live session and roughly 3 hours of async work in between, for 8 weeks. The Tuesday session time is fixed.
What does it cost?
It's a four-figure investment that we discuss during the 30-minute consult, alongside whether the cohort is the right fit for your project.
Can I do this while working full-time?
Yes, most attendees do. The live session is one Tuesday a week and the async work fits around your existing schedule, as long as you can carve out roughly 6 hours a week.
I accept those who have the highest chance of success.
In the 30-minute call we discuss your goals and whether you are ready for the program.