AI Builders Session: Open Models, Model Routing & API Integration
Not every task needs your most expensive model. This session covers working with open-wAI Builders Week 2: Open Models, Model Routing & API Integration
Track 01 • Applied Engineering (Newcomers Welcome)
Jump in tonight—no Week 1 prerequisite required.
Each session in our Builder Track is standalone. If you missed our local CLI/IDE kickoff, you can still jump right into building with models tonight.
Not every task needs your most expensive frontier model. This session focuses on working with open-weights models (Qwen, Llama, DeepSeek via Ollama/OpenRouter) alongside proprietary endpoints (Claude, GPT). We’ll implement practical routing strategies: assigning planning logic to heavy models (like Opus) and execution tasks to lightweight models (like Sonnet or Qwen). We’ll also cover prompt caching mechanics and the cache-busting pitfalls that happen when switching models mid-session.
Hands-on Lab: You’ll build a guided API integration in Python or TypeScript, actively sizing real tasks against compute budgets and token costs as you code.
Prerequisites: Some coding experience recommended (comfortable with Python or TypeScript). This is about applied architecture and API calls, not syntax 101.
How to Join
In-Person (Manhattan): Poetica Coffee, 131 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
Bring your laptop, charger, and questions.
Virtual Live Stream: https://us06web.zoom.us/s/84280401788
The AI Architect Fellowship Pathway
This workshop is part of the Builders Track within the 3percentclub AI Architects Fellowship—a hybrid program preparing underrepresented developers to deploy autonomous civic tech at our October Hackathon.
Applying to the fellowship unlocks:
Access to our Google Classroom for complete code labs, repos, and slides
Mentorship from active AI and ML practitioners
Resume and STAR interview translation workshops
Private Discord access & project team matching for the October Civic Hackathon
👉 Apply for the Fellowship: https://forms.fillout.com/t/p52mmdNs8jus