Zac Smith

About Zac Smith

As a seasoned AI Engineer at Gauntlet AI and CEO of Code Shock, LLC, I specialize in designing and implementing AI-first architectures, with particular expertise in LLMs,MCP, and autonomous agent systems. With a PhD in Computer Science and multiple master\'s degrees in Cybersecurity, my professional journey combines cutting-edge AI research with practical implementation across modern tech stacks. At Gauntlet AI, I empower students to master prompt engineering and agent-based development workflows, while at Code Shock, I lead teams in sophisticated LLM-powered RAG implementations and AI agent orchestration. My background includes pioneering AI teaching methodologies at GauntletAI, BloomTech and developing novel approaches to combine multiple AI models for enhanced automation capabilities. I\'m passionate about leveraging advanced AI tools and frameworks to create intelligent, autonomous systems that solve complex problems, while mentoring the next generation of engineers in both technical AI skills and strategic implementation of multi-agent architectures.

Experience

1. Principle Ai Engineer

   Gauntlet Ai

   Jan 2025 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   I help empower the Gauntlet student team to embrace AI-first software engineering principles, providing specialized instruction and technical support across AI, web, and mobile development. My expertise centers on leveraging AI tools like Cursor, Replit, Windsurf, OpenAI and Anthropic to create rapid, dependable, scalable and secure software solutions. I guide students through the integration of cutting-edge AI capabilities into their development workflow, enabling them to build more innovative and efficient applications.I\'m passionate about equipping the next generation of engineers with both the technical skills and strategic mindset needed to thrive in an AI-augmented development landscape.

Education

• BloomTech

  Full Stack Web Development

• New Mexico State University-Grants

  Associate’s Degree, Computer Technology/Computer Systems Technology

  2012 — 2016

• freeCodeCamp

  Certificate Full Stack Web Development, Computer Software Engineering

  2016 — 2019

• Ashworth College

  Associate's Degree, Legal Assistant/Paralegal

  2003 — 2005

• Western Governors University

  Master of Science - MS, Cybersecurity and Information Assurance

  2017 — 2018

• New Mexico State University-Grants

  Associate’s Degree, Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies

  2011 — 2014

• Colorado Technical University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Computer Science: Cybersecurity Engineering

  2019

• New Mexico State University

  Bachelor's Degree, Information Technology

  2012 — 2017

Skills

• Social Networking
• Social Media Marketing
• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Powerpoint
• Pentesting
• Leadership
• Research
• Information Assurance
• Higher Education
• Strategic Planning
• Cisco Packet Tracer
• Social Media
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Access
• R Programming
• American Welding Society (Aws)
• Github
• Data Science
• Blueprint Reading
• Java
• Selenium Webdriver
• Microsoft Word
• Python
• Bootstrap
• Matlab
• Java Enterprise Edition
• Access
• Cyber-Security
• Information Security
• Html5 Coin
• 3d Printing
• Python Programming
• Jquery
• Customer Relationship Management (Crm)
• Public Speaking
• Cryptocurrencies
• Customer Service
• Linux
• Javascript