Day: 128 Level: Intermediate Edition: Claude Code Category: Costs & Usage AI Learning Path: Real-World Usage Subscription Level determines what Claude Code features you can access, how much usage you get, and which models are available to you. Your subscription level is the foundation of your Claude Code experience and directly impacts your spending patterns. AI Terms in Series: Tokens → Models → Subscription Level → API Use → Extra Usage 🪄 Simple Definition: Your billing plan that determines Claude Code access, usage limits, and available features.→ "What you pay for determines what you can build." 🌟 Expanded Definition: Your subscription level is your service tier with Anthropic that controls your Claude Code experience. Different levels provide different amounts of usage, access to different models, and various features. Current Subscription Levels: Free • Basic Claude Code access • Limited usage per month • Access to standard models • Good for learning and light experimentation Pro ($20/month) • 5x more usage than Free • Access to all current models • Priority during high-demand periods • Best for regular developers Max ($100 or $200/month) • Highest usage limits • Early access to new features • Maximum model access • Best for power users and businesses Team/Enterprise • Multiple user management • Enhanced security features • Custom usage limits • Collaboration tools Why Subscription Level Matters Your subscription determines: • Which models you can use with Claude Code • How much you can build before hitting limits • Whether you get charged extra for high usage • Access to premium features and early releases Subscription levels are essential for: • Planning your Claude Code budget • Understanding your usage constraints • Choosing the right plan for your needs • Avoiding unexpected charges • Accessing the models you need for your projects ⚡ In Action: "You're on the Pro plan and consistently hit your monthly limits. Instead of paying extra usage fees, upgrading to Max gives you more included usage and often costs less than Pro + overages for heavy users." As an alternative idea, refer to Pro Tip.

First, thanks to all who attended the live session. It was a great session today! We learned allot while building an entire app from scratch and on the fly. As luck would have it, the first session did not record so this is the second live build today that captures the power of using Claude Code. @Collin Thomas @Glenn Dwyer @Robert Kim @Md. Abdullah Al Mafi @Matthew Sutherland @Kratika Gupta In today’s session, I used Claude Code on Windows to build a simple task list app from scratch. This was Session 1 of a 3-session series: Session 1 — Vibe Coding with Claude Code (Today) - No planning. - Just build. - Minimal features. The broader series will compare three different approaches (look for calendar update): Session 2 — Vibe Coding + Planning - Some planning. - More structure and a few useful features. Session 3 — Skill Coding (Planning Assumed) - The most upfront planning. - The most feature-rich app. - The most fun. 🏁 The goal of this series is to help everyone, no matter their AI or programming experience level—including zero—get a glimpse into the power of Claude Code. ❗ Beginners and complete newbies are absolutely welcome. ❗ The point is to help people see what these tools can do, how planning changes the outcome, and why the shift toward natural language development matters. We are getting closer to a world where more people will create software using natural language, where the quality of the idea starts to matter more than whether you have an engineering degree. At the same time, two things can be true at once: strong computer science fundamentals and great ideas will continue to compound for those who have both.

We just crossed 600 members in AI Bits & Pieces. Consistent growth from day one, fueled by people trying to understand what AI actually means for their work and day-to-day life—and how it can help them stand out in the workforce, business environment, or executive ranks. That’s been the goal from the start. A place for: 🔵 AI Curious — figuring out what this all is 🟢 AI Enthusiasts — using it regularly 🟠 AI Practitioners — applying it to real work 🟣 Enterprise — thinking about scale across teams What’s been interesting isn’t just the number—it’s the mix of people and the conversations starting to take shape. Members are building small things. Members are asking in-depth questions. And members are starting to connect the dots between tools and outcomes. A special shoutout to each and every member, and the people who have supported me from the beginning: @Michele Wacht @Dena Dion @Debra Schmitt @Patti Hoekstra @Mark Zayec @Matthew Sutherland @Jason Hagen @Usman Mohammed @Nick Mohler @Eduard Friesen We have some exciting updates and new offerings for the community designed to help you win the AI game in life, at work, as a business owner, or as an agency. A heartfelt thank you. Michael

Edit NotebookLM infographics in Canva! One of the nice things about NotebookLM is how quickly it can turn source material into a useful infographic. The challenge is that the finished infographic is a static image, so if you want to make small visual changes, adjust wording, or move elements around, you cannot really edit it directly. A simple - yet powerful trick - is to take that infographic into Canva and break it into editable pieces. ▶️ I put together a short video showing exactly how this works, or you can follow the process below. Here’s the basic flow: 1. Import your source document into NotebookLM Start by bringing your source document into NotebookLM and shaping the content until it says what you want it to say. 2. Create the infographic Once the content is where you want it, generate the infographic inside NotebookLM. 3. Copy and paste the infographic into Canva When the infographic looks close to right, move it into Canva by copying and pasting it. 4. Select Edit, then Magic Layers 🪄 Inside Canva, choose Edit and then Magic Layers. 5. Break the infographic into editable elements Canva will separate the infographic into individual parts so you can edit text, move sections around, adjust spacing, and refine the design. 6. Polish the final version Instead of starting from scratch, you are starting with structure already in place and then improving it into something more usable and presentable. This is one of those practical little moves that makes AI output easier to turn into something polished and usable.

🗓️ Session 2: April 10, 2026 at 5pm EST. (60-90 minutes) Check calendar for Session 2 and 3 dates and times. AI is getting closer to giving non-developers a real path to building full applications with natural language. Because one day, you may not think you’re writing software or workflows… but you will be. Maybe it looks something like: - Setting preferences for a fancy AI vacuum - Creating a daily brief from your favorite news and email accounts - Building a simple tool for your own workflow to improve a business process - And, yes, giving directions to your own personal humanoid robot. In any of these cases, learning how to speak to AI clearly will matter if you want practical and useful outcomes. 🎯 What This Live Series Will Cover: - I’ll be using Claude Code on Windows - We’re going to build the a simple task list app across three sessions, with a few differences - Each one will be built from scratch Session 1 — Vibe Code No planning. Just build. Minimal features. Session 2 — Vibe Code + Planning (April 10, 2026) Some planning. More structure and a few useful features. Session 3 — Skill Coding (Planning assumed) The most upfront planning. The most feature rich app. The most fun. 🏁 The goal is to help everyone, no matter their AI or programming experience (including zero) level, get a glimpse into the power of Claude Code. ❗ Beginners and complete newbies are absolutely welcome. It is to help people see what these tools can do, how planning changes the outcome, and why the shift to using natural language matters. We are getting closer to a world where more people will create software using natural language, where the quality of the idea starts to matter more than whether you have an engineering degree. At the same time, two things can be true at the same time - strong computer science fundamentals and great ideas will continue to compound for those who have both. @Matthew Sutherland @Nick Mohler @Usman Mohammed @Dena Dion @Mike AI Consultant