In this interactive session, scholars will move beyond headlines to examine how AI systems actually function. Using a practical design framework, participants will explore training data, key features, optimization goals, and feedback loops while stepping into the role of decision-makers in a hands-on System Design Think Tank. This workshop centers on technological fluency and leadership. Scholars will leave with a stronger understanding of how AI systems operate, how power is embedded in design decisions, and how their insight and agency matter in shaping the systems that shape us.