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Hermes Agent has emerged as the open source AI agent that people are choosing. In this episode, we go beyond the hype to understand why. Through conversations with a co-founder of Nous Research, AI engineering veterans, and non-technical builders, we explore what Hermes can actually do today, where it falls short, and why the choice of which agent you use matters more than you think. From self-improving skills and three-layer memory to video dubbing workflows and CAD hardware sourcing. These are real people getting real value from an agent they own. But the deeper story is about what happens when your AI infrastructure is closed vs open. The decisions you make today about which tools you use are shaping the future of AI for everyone. Open source must win, and this episode explains why.

Follow the amazing guests

Karan - Co-founder & Head of Behavior, Nous Research: https://x.com/karan4d

Wolfram Ravenwolf - AI Evangelist and Creator Wolfbench: https://x.com/WolframRvnwlf

Robert Desmond — Founder & CEO, Farm Friend: https://x.com/twodogseeds

Evan Roach — Product Developer: https://x.com/evvaaannnn

Kat Winter - https://x.com/katspigeon

Connect with us

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https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:52 - Ambient Agents

00:05:12 - Why everyone is switching to Hermes Agent

00:17:53 - Real-World AI Agent Use Cases & Automations

00:29:59 - Why Open Source Must Win

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Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Check out www.ToolUsePodcast.com

Are AI web browsers falling short of the hype? Enter Rover, a revolutionary open-source AI agent that unlocks full autonomous workflows directly on your website with just a single script tag. In this episode, Arjun and Bhavani from rtrvr return to dive deep into how Rover uses a unique DOM-only approach to navigate, click, and type with subsecond latency. This innovative method completely bypasses slow screenshot-based models and outdated playwright or puppeteer scripts. We discuss the engineering secrets behind building smart DOM trees, why they crushed web benchmarks, and how Rover provides a powerful alternative to Google's Web MCP by keeping users engaged on your site instead of handing traffic over to external AI tools. Plus, learn how you can trigger complex agentic workflows via simple URL queries and why open-sourcing this technology is a massive win for the developer community.

Rover links:https://x.com/rtrvrairover.rtrvr.ai
Github: https://github.com/rtrvr-ai/rover
Rover Deep dive: https://www.rtrvr.ai/blog/10-billion-proof-point-every-website-needs-ai-agent
Benchmark: https://www.rtrvr.ai/blog/web-bench-results

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https://x.com/ToolUsePodcast
https://x.com/MikeBirdTech
https://x.com/rtrvrai

00:00:00 - Intro
00:03:05 - The DOM-Only Approach vs Screenshots for AI Agents
00:06:00 - Parsing HTML vs Markdown for Reliable LLM Data
00:11:47 - Handling Modals, iFrames, and Canvas Elements
00:15:32 - Implementing AI Guardrails and Extracting User Intent Data
00:28:04 - Rover vs Google Web MCP for Website Automation
00:31:25 - Triggering Autonomous AI Workflows via URL Queries

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Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.

Join the Tool Use Discord: https://discord.gg/PnEGyXpjaX

In 2026, building an AI product is easier than ever, but getting traction and finding customers is the real challenge. In episode 82 of Tool Use, we sit down with Mano Tsiris, a serial exited founder and head of growth at Optimal AI, to break down the ultimate go-to-market strategy for technical founders and builders. Discover how to validate your startup ideas and talk to users before writing a single line of code. Mano shares his proven marketing playbook, including how to build in public on LinkedIn, repurpose content using AI tools like Gemini and Claude Code, and leverage IRL events to grow your network. Whether you are bootstrapping a side project or trying to get your first hundred users, this conversation is packed with actionable advice on distribution, audience building, and standing out in a crowded market.

Mano Tsiris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emanueltsiris

Optimal AI: https://getoptimal.ai

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https://x.com/MikeBirdTech

00:00:00 - Intro

00:03:53 - Mindset Shift: From AI Builder to SaaS Seller

00:09:21 - Building in Public & Thought Leadership Strategies

00:11:21 - Repurposing Content & SEO with AI Tools

00:22:12 - A/B Testing & Finding Viral Hooks with Gemini

00:26:56 - Startup Ideation: How to Validate SaaS Ideas Before Building

00:37:02 - The Ultimate AI Marketing Tech Stack for Founders

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Tool Use is a weekly conversation with the top AI experts.