OpenClaw vs Hermes and agent basics

Presented by Zapier: https://zapier.com/

👉 Priority Launch List: https://thenextnewthing.ai/l/shane-priority-launch-list
👉 Shane Mac (X): https://x.com/ShaneMac
👉 Shane Mac (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanemacsays/
👉 XMTP: https://xmtp.org/

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Launch AI agents on your phone
00:09 Copy any app with a prompt or screenshot
00:18 Creating an agent inside Convos
00:36 Agents provisioned with tools automatically
00:45 OpenClaw vs Hermes agents
00:54 What makes something an “agent”
01:21 Limited rollout and waitlist access
01:30 Turning a screenshot into an app
02:06 Demo: calorie tracking agent
02:33 From app → personalized AI coach
03:18 Training agents with personal data
03:54 Building a fully customized fitness assistant
04:30 Why agents get better over time
05:06 Backing from Andreessen Horowitz + USV
05:15 Coordinating group events with agents
06:00 Replacing chaotic group chats
06:45 Agent managing RSVPs, timing, logistics
07:21 Real-time updates and humor in chat
08:06 Monitoring content with “Radar” agents
09:00 Tracking writers, artists, and updates
09:45 Daily summaries across the internet
10:30 Personalized alerts and insights
10:57 Relationship + life coordination agent
11:24 Daily plans, reservations, and logistics
12:09 Combining multiple tools into one system
12:18 Product rollout and waitlist strategy
12:54 Future integrations (Notion, calendars, etc.)
13:21 Why messaging becomes the main interface
13:39 Agents talking to other agents
14:06 Privacy and coordination between agents

What if your apps weren’t apps anymore—but agents you talk to inside a chat?

In this episode of The Next New Thing, Andrew Warner sits down with Shane Mac to explore Convos, a new platform where you can launch AI agents directly on your phone—and have them act like full apps inside a conversation.

Instead of downloading tools, you create agents by describing what you want. They get provisioned with email, phone numbers, browsing, and memory—then join your chats like participants. From there, you can clone apps, coordinate events, track information across the internet, or even build personalized systems that evolve over time.

Shane demos how a simple screenshot can turn into a working app, how agents can act as assistants inside group chats, and how they can coordinate with other agents without exposing your personal data.

The bigger idea: the interface is shifting from apps to conversations—and agents become the layer that connects everything you do.