---
title: "Alex Finn: 100+ Hours with Hermes Agent — 9 Lessons Learned"
source: https://x.com/AlexFinn/status/2075055593635844306
date: 2026-07-09
author: Alex Finn (CEO, Henry Intelligent Machines)
type: xpost
language: en
tags: [hermes, agent-os, lessons-learned, model-comparison, tailscale, reverse-prompting, gpt-5.6, claude-opus, glm]
---

# Alex Finn: 100+ Hours with Hermes Agent — 9 Lessons Learned

**Source:** X post + video by Alex Finn, July 9, 2026
**Follow-up:** July 10, 2026 — Alex switched his main Hermes agent to GPT-5.6 for the first time

## Context

Alex Finn, CEO of Henry Intelligent Machines, posted a detailed video covering lessons from 100+ hours using the Hermes Agent (Nous Research). He calls Hermes "the most powerful AI agent on Earth right now" and states that nobody has used it more.

## Key Lessons

### Model Recommendations
1. **Claude Opus** — Best-in-class for complex tasks. Used heavily from day one (including via API at high cost).
2. **ChatGPT / GPT-5.6 (codex/gpt-5.6-sol)** — Now competitive or better. On July 10 Alex publicly switched his main Hermes agent to it, citing strong performance at a fraction of the previous cost. Use your existing ChatGPT subscription directly in Hermes (avoid OpenRouter version if subscribed).
3. **GLM** — Recommended for maximum cost savings on high-volume or less critical work.

**Pro tip:** Create separate agent profiles in Hermes (one per model/API) so you can easily test, compare, and switch between them.

### Security & Connectivity
4. **Tailscale** is the top recommendation for secure, zero-trust connectivity across devices. Essential for agents that need to SSH, access remote machines, or manage fleets.
5. **Security concerns about separate accounts are "largely overblown"** — Alex argues against the common fear of giving agents their own accounts.
6. **2+ agents as failover** — redundancy matters.

### Workflow & Setup
7. **Reverse Prompting** — 5-minute morning interview where the agent interviews YOU about your day's priorities. This flips the traditional prompt dynamic.
8. **Separate agent accounts are a mistake** — Alex argues for using your own accounts with the agent, not creating separate ones.
9. **Multi-device via Tailscale** — enables Hermes to act like a true "AI employee" that can move between your local machines securely.

## Additional Tips from Community
- One index file per folder dramatically speeds up agent performance
- /learn workflows work best when isolated in a dedicated "classroom" folder with a "textbook" file of reusable paths/links
- Build structured "vaults" with index files per major folder so the agent navigates quickly instead of wandering
- Key interfaces to master: Dashboard, Mission Control, and Troubleshooting

## Model Cost Comparison (Alex's Experience)
- Claude Opus via API: high cost, best quality
- GPT-5.6 via ChatGPT subscription: strong performance, fraction of cost
- GLM: budget option for high-volume work

## NotebookLM Briefing
- Notebook: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/46208dab-e627-40f6-90e9-6e06a84e7340
- German audio briefing (nb3 preset), ~23 min