Subvolts take Understand the real progress and future of AI agents with Anthropic's lead. Oct 2, 2025 - Developers
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This episode features a key figure from Anthropic discussing the critical area of AI agents, following a significant model release.
The good, the bad, and the future of AI agents
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From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
Hayden Field hosts David Hershey of Anthropic on Decoder to discuss AI agents. They explore the capabilities and future of agentic technology, prompted by Anthropic's release of Claude Sonnet 4.5. The conversation covers where AI agents stand today and the path forward for this developing technology.
This episode talks about AI agents, which are like AI assistants that can do tasks for you. It explores how good they are now and what they might do in the future, especially after Anthropic released a new AI model.
This episode is for anyone interested in the practical application of AI beyond simple chatbots. It connects directly to the current race among frontier labs like OpenAI, Google, and Meta to build more autonomous AI systems. Listeners will learn about the challenges and potential of AI agents, informed by Anthropic's latest model release and their internal testing.
- HostNilay Patel
- GuestDavid Hersheylead the applied AI team, Anthropic
- Guest: David Hershey, lead of the applied AI team at Anthropic
- Show: Decoder with Nilay Patel
- Length: 47 minutes
- New Model Mentioned: Claude Sonnet 4.5
This is Hayden Field, senior AI reporter at The Verge and your Thursday episode guest host. Today, I’m talking with David Hershey, who leads the applied AI team at Anthropic. I wanted to have David on because earlier this week, Anthropic released a brand-new AI model called Claude Sonnet 4.5 that’s been making waves.
So I wanted to sit down with David, who spends a lot of time testing out what modes like Claude Sonnet 4.5 can and can’t do, to ask him where we are on this promise of AI agents, and also what the path forward looks like as agentic technology progresses.
Links:
- Anthropic releases Claude Sonnet 4.5 in latest bid for AI agents | The Verge
- ChatGPT’s built-in Buy Now button has arrived | The Verge
- OpenAI really wants you to start your day with ChatGPT Pulse | The Verge
- Anthropic’s Claude AI is playing Pokémon | The Verge
- AI agents are science fiction not yet ready for primetime | The Verge
- Agents are the future AI companies promise and need | The Verge
- Amazon is betting on agents to win the AI race | Decoder
Credits:
Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright.
The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder.
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- AI agents
- David Hershey
- AI systems designed to perform tasks autonomously.
- agentic technology
- David Hershey
- Technology that allows AI to act independently to achieve goals.
Questions people ask
- What new AI model did Anthropic release?
- Anthropic released a brand-new AI model called Claude Sonnet 4.5.
- What is the main topic of the discussion?
- The episode focuses on the current state and future of AI agents, exploring what they can and cannot do.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to The Verge.