Brendan Bartanen

YouTube video by Brendan Bartanen Working with AI Agents

I'm sharing a recording of a workshop on working with AI agents that I gave last week at UVA. If you're at all curious about what the big deal is with AI models in 2026, I try to break it down here in an approachable, non-technical way.

youtu.be/wcZq5xBbkTM

I used Claude Cowork to write referee reports. Here's what happened. Should AI become part of the peer review process?

I used Claude Cowork to write referee reports. Here's what happened.
open.substack.com/pub/brendanb...

Fascinating/terrifying/exciting is basically my default reaction to all things AI these days.

What many don't yet grasp is just how quickly all of these things—the good, the bad, and the ugly—are coming down the line. AI models have reached capability that allows for basically anyone with an internet connection to spin up functioning apps using just ideas expressed in natural language.

Brendan & Claude do a version of that recent NYTimes The Daily episode about "What's agentic AI and why does it matter?" specifically for quant education researcher types

Absolutely fascinating/terrifying/exciting

What is agentic AI and why should you care? I do my best Ezra Klein impersonation to figure out what the hell is happening

What is agentic AI and why should you care?
open.substack.com/pub/brendanb...

Agree, though what's most concerning is we have extremely capable models today that can produce high-quality work (even if not perfect) across nearly any domain of white collar work...and all of that is progressing without much academic/public awareness. Academics need to get into the arena on this.

Easily one of the best things I've read on substack.

What is agentic AI and why should you care? I do my best Ezra Klein impersonation to figure out what the hell is happening

What is agentic AI and why should you care?
open.substack.com/pub/brendanb...

Wow! This use of AI and the comparison between AI and human reviews (of a very nice paper!) is super interesting.

Thanks for reading! It's a brave new world.

I used Claude Cowork to write referee reports. Here's what happened. Should AI become part of the peer review process?

I used Claude Cowork to write referee reports. Here's what happened.
open.substack.com/pub/brendanb...

I'm shifting my research agenda...but it's not what you think Claude helps me sail the stormy seas

I'm shifting my research agenda...but it's not what you think
open.substack.com/pub/brendanb...