AI Agents in Focus: Claude Dominates, OpenAI Responds, Open-Source Catches Up
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
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Hello, this weekly newsletter guides you through the most important new videos from a curated selection of AI and coding YouTube channels. Each video gets a compact summary, plus a daily overview of the dominant topics. If interested, simply click the link under the summary.
This week is all about AI agents and their integration into workflows. Brian Casel shows in several videos how Claude Code and OpenAI-based tools like Cursor and Codex can be leveraged for specialized tasks. Particularly interesting is his “Night Shift” concept, where agents handle routine tasks overnight – an approach utilizing both Claude and OpenAI models. The discussion around the convergence of plan modes in various tools underscores the growing standardization in AI development.
Claude is at the center of debate, especially through Anthropic’s announcement of a separate monthly credit for programmatic usage. This has frustrated users who rely on AFK workflows, as the new budget is significantly more limited. Some creators are considering switching to alternatives like Codex or OpenAI, intensifying tensions between providers. Meanwhile, open-source solutions like Hermes Agent are catching up, particularly through the integration of Qwen 3.6 Plus and new features like Computer Use and Kanban boards.
A special highlight is Leon van Zyl’s video showing how to build an AI image studio from scratch using OpenAI (GPT-5.5 and GPT-Image-2). This project stands out from the others by presenting a concrete, usable application, while most other videos focus on workflow optimization. Fireship also delivers a technical outlier with an in-depth look at operating systems and a critical security vulnerability in the Linux kernel.
The week was marked by clear dominance of Claude in discussions, while OpenAI and open-source tools like Hermes Agent are presented as responses. Tensions between providers and the search for more efficient workflows remain the central themes.
Brian Casel (3 new videos)
- How I build agents that work the night shift
12.5.2026, 12:01:07The video introduces the concept of “Night Shift,” a method for deploying AI agents to handle recurring business tasks. The author explains how he uses agents to automatically complete tasks during his absence (e.g., at night), such as checking and optimizing SEO metadata on his website or reviewing pull requests in his open-source GitHub projects. The process consists of three main components: a shared interface (e.g., a Markdown file or custom app), human feedback in short, focused sessions, and an AI agent executing a Skill on a scheduled basis. The author emphasizes that the real effort lies in setting up the system, but the long-term benefits come from automating and delegating routine tasks.
The author demonstrates two concrete examples: an agent that checks SEO metadata and updates it as needed, and another that reviews pull requests on GitHub and provides recommendations for merging or closing them. In both cases, the author receives reports that he briefly reviews and provides feedback on as needed before the agent proceeds with the next steps.
The video explicitly covers Claude and OpenAI (OpenClaw) and is geared toward intermediate to advanced users who already have experience with AI agents and are ready to build their own systems and workflows.
- Why You Need Claude Code Server Mode?
6.5.2026, 14:01:40The video demonstrates how Claude Code can leverage locally installed Skills and files that are not available in the cloud version. The user shows how he uses various custom-built Skills on his local machine that are stored directly on his file system. This enables extended functionality since Claude Code can access these resources locally, which is not possible in the web version. The advantage is that tasks requiring access to local files or installed Skills can be completed more efficiently.
**Final Note:** The video explicitly covers Claude Code and is designed for intermediate users who are already familiar with local development environments.
- Why Every AI Coding Tool is Converging on Plan Mode?
1.5.2026, 14:01:11The video shows how various developer tools are adopting the trend toward plan-based development (spec-driven development) and integrating it as a standard feature. The author demonstrates this using a product requirements document (PRD) for a customer portal, which he uses across three tools – Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex – to create an implementation plan. In Claude Code, Plan Mode is automatically activated, guiding the user through a series of questions to create a detailed plan. In Cursor, Plan Mode is accessed via Shift+Tab, underscoring the standardization of this feature across different tools. The author emphasizes that this tool convergence facilitates adoption and switching between them.
The video explicitly covers Claude Code, Cursor, and Codex and is aimed at intermediate to advanced users who are familiar with spec-driven development.
Niklas Steenfatt
No new videos in this period.
Fireship (3 new videos)
- Every operating system concept in one video…
7.5.2026, 17:32:34The video explains in detail how an operating system functions from the moment the power button is pressed until shutdown. It starts with the bootloader that loads the operating system, then progresses through various stages such as privileges, virtual memory, file systems, device drivers, and interrupts. The kernel builds the system, manages processes and memory, enables inter-process communication, and ensures system security and stability. The video also highlights the importance of system calls, schedulers, and threads. At the end, the shutdown process is described, where all processes are terminated and the system is safely shut down.
The video doesn’t cover specific AI tools or models and is designed more for intermediate viewers seeking a deeper understanding of operating systems.
- 732 bytes of Python just borked every Linux machine on earth…
4.5.2026, 18:40:40The video addresses a critical security vulnerability in the Linux kernel, known as “copy fail” (CVE-2023-31431), which has existed since 2017 and was discovered by an AI tool. The vulnerability allows a local, unprivileged user to gain root access to a Linux system by writing four controlled bytes into the page cache of a read-only file. The exploit leverages a weakness in the AF_ALG interface and affects all Linux distributions updated since 2017. While the vulnerability isn’t remotely exploitable, it requires updates across all affected systems. The video explains the technical details of the exploit and emphasizes the importance of AI tools for improving code quality, citing Code Rabbit as an example.
The video explicitly covers AI tools such as the AI agent tool used by Theori and Code Rabbit, and is designed for intermediate to advanced users.
- GitHub is having some major issues right now…
30.4.2026, 16:37:31The video “It’s 10 p.m. Do You Know Where Your Children Are?” from The Code Report discusses the current problems and challenges facing GitHub, the leading software development platform. Founded in 2008 and acquired by Microsoft in 2018 for $7.5 billion, GitHub is indispensable for many developers. However, recent outages and technical problems have accumulated, causing massive dissatisfaction in the developer community. The video creator mentions several incidents, such as accidentally deleted pull requests, search function outages, and critical security vulnerabilities. A particularly striking example is the decision by Mitchell Hashimoto, a prominent developer, to migrate his open-source projects away from GitHub, viewed as a sign of growing frustration among many developers.
The video creator analyzes the causes of these problems and points to increasing strain from AI agents heavily taxing the platform. Despite the criticism, he emphasizes that Microsoft and GitHub are working to improve the situation. Alternatives to GitHub mentioned include platforms such as GitLab, Codeberg, and Source Hut. The video concludes with an appeal for choosing a meaningful and fulfilling career, supported by the organization 80,000 Hours.
The video covers GitHub and Microsoft, with content aimed at intermediate to advanced audiences.
Alex Finn (1 new video)
- LIVE: The greatest Claude Code workflow ever
13.5.2026, 20:12:33The video demonstrates a detailed workflow for using Claude Code in combination with various tools like Slack, Linear, and GitHub. The creator, Alex, shows how he integrates these tools to boost his productivity and manage his projects more efficiently. Here are the key points:
1. **Linear Integration**: Linear is used as a project management tool to handle tasks and projects. It offers integrations with various AI tools, which simplifies collaboration and task tracking.
2. **Slack Usage**: Slack is used to receive notifications and updates from Linear and GitHub. This enables a central overview of all changes and activities across projects.
3. **GitHub Integration**: Each task in Linear is created in its own branch in GitHub. This allows for better organization and monitoring of code changes.
4. **Claude Code and Codex**: These tools are used to automatically create and manage tasks. They help generate descriptions, plans, and status updates for each task.
5. **Workflow Benefits**: The workflow increases productivity, reduces errors, and improves task and change tracking. This is particularly useful for teams and individuals managing complex projects.
6. **Personal Experiences and Advice**: Alex shares his personal experiences and offers advice on how to effectively use AI tools to automate and improve business processes. He emphasizes the importance of investing in AI tools and the necessity of using them correctly to achieve strong returns.
7. **Henry Intelligent Machines Announcement**: Alex announces that he is working on a new startup called Henry Intelligent Machines, which will soon launch a beta testing phase. This project is powered by the workflows and tools described.
The video is aimed at intermediate and advanced users who already have experience with project management and AI tools. It covers specific tools like Claude, OpenAI, Linear, Slack, GitHub, and Vercel.
Leon van Zyl (1 new video)
- Codex CLI Tutorial: Build an AI Image Studio from Scratch
11.5.2026, 11:17:21The video demonstrates how to build an AI image studio from the ground up, enabling users to upload reference materials and generate usable images from text prompts for YouTube thumbnails, posters, banners, and other applications. The setup uses the Codex CLI tool, GPT-5.5 as the model, and a high reasoning level. The process includes setting up a Next.js project with user authentication, a Postgres database, and Drizzle ORM. A design system is created and the user interface for the dashboard and homepage is designed. Subsequently, image generation functionality is implemented using the OpenAI API key and the GPT-Image-2 model. The final result is a working web application that enables users to generate thumbnails using their uploaded reference images and text prompts.
The video explicitly covers OpenAI (GPT-5.5, GPT-Image-2) and is aimed at intermediate to advanced users.
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WorldofAI (1 new video)
- Hermes Agent v2.0! Huge New Updates: WebUI, Qwen 3.6 Plus FREE, Computer Use, & More!
May 13, 2026, 05:08:59The video showcases the latest updates to the open-source AI agent Hermes Agent, which distinguishes itself through its ability for continuous improvement and long-term retention of skills and knowledge. The key new features include:
1. **Computer Use Feature**: Enables Hermes to control the computer in the background without interfering with user control. This feature is currently only available for macOS, but will soon be coming to Windows and Linux. It supports various models such as Claude, GPT-4/5, and local open-source models.
2. **Integration of Alibaba’s Qwen 3.6 Plus**: This powerful model is now integrated into Hermes and offers an extended context window of 1 million tokens, making it particularly suitable for complex tasks. Usage is currently free.
3. **Light Panda Integration**: An open-source browser backend specifically designed for AI workflows, improving the reliability of browser automation.
4. **Kanban Board**: A new feature that allows orchestrating multiple agents and managing tasks on a visual board. This makes Hermes a more persistent and flexible workspace.
5. **/goal Command**: A long-term autonomous mode that enables agents to continuously plan, execute, and repeat tasks as needed until a goal is achieved.
Additionally, minor improvements such as voice cloning and support for various languages and TTS providers were presented. The video is more suited for intermediate and advanced users, as it contains detailed technical information and tutorials.
**Final Comment**: The video specifically covers Hermes Agent, open-source models, Claude, GPT-4/5, Gemini, and specific tools like Tiny Fish and Light Panda. It is intended for intermediate and advanced users.
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Matt Pocock (1 new video)
- Anthropic’s “dedicated monthly credit” is actually a huge cut
13.5.2026, 20:12:51The video covers an important announcement from Anthropic regarding the use of Claude for programmatic purposes. Starting June 15, paid Claude users will receive monthly credits for programmatic usage, covering specific tools such as the Claude Agent SDK, Claude P, Claude Code, GitHub Actions, and third-party apps. The speaker explains that this change separates Claude usage for AFK (Away From Keyboard) workflows from direct UI usage and introduces separate budgets for both types of usage. For users heavily reliant on AFK workflows, this represents a significant reduction in available resources, as the new credit is considerably lower than previous options. The speaker discusses the impact of this change and considers switching to alternatives like Codex or OpenAI for AFK workflows, while continuing to use Claude for human interaction scenarios. He emphasizes that the clarity of the new rules is positive, even though the practical implications for AFK users are restrictive.
The video explicitly covers Claude, Claude P, Claude Code, GitHub Actions, and third-party apps like Conductor and OpenClaw. It is aimed more at intermediate or advanced users who use Claude programmatically.
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David Shapiro
No new videos in this period.
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