Jake Van Clief
Marine Veteran, AI Researcher & Founder of Clief Notes
Who is Jake Van Clief?
Jake Van Clief is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran (8 years), AI researcher, and founder of Clief Notes — one of the fastest-growing AI communities on Skool in 2026, reaching 16,000 members in less than a month with zero paid advertising. During his 8 years in the Marine Corps, Jake served as an Avionics and Cryptographic Technician working on F-35 and F-18 fighter jets, where he first encountered AI algorithms through the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS). After his military service, he attended Flagler College (BA in Political Science and Philosophy), then earned an MSc in AI Governance from the University of Edinburgh, where he published research on AI systems. He founded Eduba, a technical consultancy, and has trained over 1,000 employees at Fortune 500 companies including Pacific Life, Colgate-Palmolive, and KPMG UK. His teaching approach is systems-first — building methods that last a decade, not chasing tool hype. Clief Notes provides 40+ free lessons covering folder architecture, prompt frameworks, computing fundamentals, and Claude Code, with premium tiers for enterprise consulting case studies.
Key facts
- ✓ U.S. Marine Corps veteran — 8 years (cryptographic systems, F-35/F-18 avionics)
- ✓ MSc in AI Governance from University of Edinburgh
- ✓ Published AI researcher
- ✓ Trained 1,000+ employees at Fortune 500 companies (Pacific Life, Colgate-Palmolive, KPMG UK)
- ✓ Clief Notes: 16,000 members in under a month (organic growth)
- ✓ 40+ free lessons — more than most paid communities
- ✓ Founder of Eduba (technical AI consultancy)
- ✓ Flagler College graduate (BA Political Science & Philosophy)
- ✓ Systems-first teaching approach: build methods that last a decade
Courses by Jake
Clief Notes
Skool Community16,000 members • Free
Learn to build AI systems and methods that last a decade. 40+ free lessons. By Jake Van Clief (Marine veteran, MSc AI Edinburgh, Fortune 500 trainer). 16K members in under a month.
Eduba (consultancy)
Enterprise pricingTechnical AI consultancy for enterprise clients (Fortune 500).
ConsultancyCan you trust Jake?
+ Positives
- + 8 years U.S. Marine Corps — verified military service
- + MSc AI Governance from University of Edinburgh — elite research institution
- + Published researcher — academic credibility
- + Fortune 500 training experience — real enterprise credentials
- + 16K members in under a month with zero paid ads — pure quality signal
- + 40+ free lessons — exceptional generosity
− Watch out for
- − New to content creation — limited social media presence outside Skool/LinkedIn
- − Premium/VIP pricing not transparent
- − 16K members is impressive but community is very new
- − Systems-first approach may feel too theoretical for some learners
Our verdict
Jake Van Clief has the most impressive verified credentials of any Skool community creator: 8-year Marine veteran, Edinburgh MSc, published researcher, Fortune 500 trainer. Clief Notes' explosive organic growth (16K in under a month) and generous free content (40+ lessons) make it one of the best free AI communities available.
Recommended for
Anyone who wants to learn AI systems properly — with principles that last, not just tool tutorials. Especially strong for beginners and career changers.
Not ideal for
People who want quick tutorials on specific tools without understanding the underlying systems thinking
Frequently asked questions
Who is Jake Van Clief?
Jake is a U.S. Marine veteran (8 years, F-35/F-18 avionics), MSc in AI Governance from the University of Edinburgh, published researcher, and Fortune 500 trainer. He founded Clief Notes, which grew to 16,000 members in under a month through organic quality alone.
Is Clief Notes really free?
Yes. The free tier includes 40+ comprehensive lessons on AI systems, folder architecture, prompt frameworks, and Claude Code — more content than most paid communities. Premium and VIP tiers exist for enterprise case studies and advanced content.
How did Clief Notes grow so fast?
Pure organic growth driven by the quality of free content and Jake's verified credentials (Marine veteran, Edinburgh MSc, Fortune 500 trainer). No paid ads, no hype tactics. The systems-first approach resonated with people tired of tool-chasing content.
Last updated: April 8, 2026