I've Mocked AI Agents for 2 Years. January 2026 Changed My Mind.

In this AI marketing podcast episode, Dan Sanchez and Travis Sanchez break down why 2026 is shaping up to be the “Year of Agents”—not as hype, but because agentic features are finally landing inside the tools marketers already use. They unpack what Claude Cowork, ChatGPT Codex, and Gemini in Google Drive signal about the near-future workflow shift: stop thinking in tasks, start thinking in systems.

My Favorite AI Tools

Tella (AI screen recording app I record all my solo episodes with) - https://danchez.com/tella High Level (My all in one marketing platform) - https://danchez.com/highlevel Zencastr (Best AI podcast tool) - https://danchez.com/podtools n8n (my favorite AI automation tool) - https://danchez.com/n8n

Resources Mentioned

Anthropic Claude Cowork (Engadget coverage) - https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-opens-up-its-claude-cowork-feature-to-anyone-with-a-20-subscription-194000021.html ChatGPT Codex vs Claude Code discussion (X thread) - https://x.com/robinebers/status/2014341356697911686 Google Gemini now in Google Drive (X post) - https://x.com/TawohAwa/status/2013986911225029020 Dan’s “Tasks to Systems” book launch list - https://aidrivenmarketer.com/systems Poll: “Marketers, are you vibe coding yet?” - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/digitalmarketingdan_danchez-activity-7419851623406981121-U8Eq Viral post: “The age of humans writing code themselves is going to end” (X post) - https://x.com/DeryaTR_/status/2013687570945704403

Timestamps

00:00 — 2026 declared the “Year of Agents”: why it’s finally happening now 01:39 — Claude Cowork opens to $20 tier: terminal access, file actions, and why that’s agentic 05:00 — Early tests + failures: where Cowork still struggles (and where it shines) 07:48 — Vibe coding momentum: why some think ChatGPT Codex may win for non-dev marketers 10:35 — Gemini in Google Drive: fixing Drive search, finding/moving files, and creating docs as an agent 13:30 — The bigger shift: marketers must move from tasks → systems (and why job security depends on it) 15:01 — Sponsor spotlight: High Level as the “system” to consolidate marketing tools 16:09 — Everyday AI: fast photo edits in Gemini; AI-assisted conflict coaching; oil filter recommendations via ChatGPT 22:56 — Poll results: “Are you vibe coding yet?” (early adoption signal)