Best way to learn to make chess AI?

Hi guys. I'm trying to make a chess game + AI with a friend as a project this year; we're both pretty junior (freshman in uni) but we're quick learners and we like challenging ourselves. Anyways, my question is what's the best way to make the AI and learn how to do so? We have reasonable expectations obviously (it won't beat any decent player probs) but even if we could beat our younger siblings that would be something! Thnx for the help