Joe Li

Group Design Lead @ Wise | Building TrainerX | Design leadership + AI product craft | Shipping in public

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

It’s an exciting time to be a designer.

A few months ago I was about to step into a new role at Wise focused on AI-powered products.

And I realised something uncomfortable: I understood AI conceptually… but I hadn’t felt the constraints of building with it.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@ycombinator @t_blom Sweet skin fade

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@elonmusk What do you think of Alpha Schools?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

AI didn’t remove the work.

But it changed what one person can take on. For ~£17/month it felt like having a technical partner on hand.

TrainerX is still early, but I’m enjoying the process. If you try it, I’d love feedback:
https://t.co/4J3XWQLfJR

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

It’s an exciting time to be a designer.

A few months ago I was about to step into a new role at Wise focused on AI-powered products.

And I realised something uncomfortable: I understood AI conceptually… but I hadn’t felt the constraints of building with it.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

I didn’t want to learn this next chapter of my craft by observing.

I wanted to learn the only way I know how:

By building.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

I ended up doing everything end-to-end:

Design, code, DB, backend, edge functions, analytics, evals, intent classification…

…and spending far too long tuning prompts so the plans were actually good, not “generic AI”.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

The loop that made it work:

Use → spot the problem → ship a fix → try again next session.

Most of this happened evenings + weekends. The immediacy was addictive (in a good way).

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

Late last month I launched TrainerX — an AI personal trainer.

I chose fitness because it’s familiar territory. I’ve spent a decade building fitness products for other people.

This time I wanted to build something I’d genuinely use.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

I kept coming back to the same questions:

• Can I build something end-to-end?
• Something I’d personally use?
• Something Apple would approve?
• Something someone would pay for?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

I’d built side projects before, but always with talented technical mates.

This time it was just me, a blank repo, and an AI IDE (Cursor) to see how far I could push it.

I was sceptical it would even work.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

So I set myself a challenge:

Build a real, profitable product from scratch — completely on my own.

Not a demo.
Not a prototype.
Something people would actually use and pay for.

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@rsStats_ @GroqInc @expo This looks awesome. How’d did you do the screen recording?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@noahkagan Do you think these vibe coding tools are in a bubble? Presumably the same functionality will make its way to ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini at some point ?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@t_blom How can you come to the conclusion it’s better or comparable within 20mins? Surely you need to be using it for weeks / months before you know?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@Jacobsklug @lovable Build

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@t_blom Would you consider starting a Technocrats Party and running for PM? 👀 I’d vote for that 🗳️

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@monzo is it not possible to upgrade to perks for your joint account?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@LukeW Been testing the Beta and gotta say it’s made the experience way more confusing. It’s a very disorientating experience

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

@t_blom Have you tried padel yet Tom?

[Joe Li @JoeLi89]

Proud father alert 🚨 #kids #funny #schoolwork #parenting #ParentingTips