I just competed in Google's AI Agent Bake-Off—a high-pressure, 5-hour challenge where teams had to build a fully functional agent-powered banking application completely from scratch. Thanks to the right strategies (and a lot of caffeine), I was able to win the challenge. You can watch the full AI Agent Bake-Off competition here: 👉 https://youtu.be/0CQxF56MKWo?si=7cpRbwkucBuXcwCz But if you want to see what really happened behind the scenes, I'm breaking down the exact 5 strategies I used so you can apply them to your own AI agent projects. Here's what you'll learn: ✅ How to use AI reference projects to jumpstart your development and build faster ✅ The power of "talking to your computer" to prototype and debug with natural language ✅ Why creating an agent workflow digital twin saves you hours of coding time ✅ How to train AI to work directly with your tech stack and APIs ✅ The secret to parallel AI development for rapid testing and iteration Plus, I'm giving away the complete source code from the winning banking app—so you can see real, working examples of these strategies in action! 👉 https://github.com/bhancockio/ai_agent_bake_off_ep_2 Whether you're building agents for the first time or looking to level up your workflow, these 5 tips will help you work smarter and faster. Cheers, Brandon Hancock 🧑‍💻 P.S. Ready to build real-world AI applications in days instead of months? Check out shipkit.ai for pre-built, production-ready templates covering the most common AI use cases: AI Chat, RAG systems, & ADK agents. Skip the boilerplate and start shipping faster. Use code BAKEOFF for $50 off during checkout. 👉 shipkit.ai

Google just surprised developers with Gemini CLI, a brand-new coding agent you can run entirely from your terminal for exactly $0. Sounds incredible…but does it actually deliver? In my latest video I put Gemini CLI through a real world coding challenge so you can see its power (and any pitfalls) before you install. ​ Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Quick rundown of Google’s surprise Gemini CLI announcement—and why it matters. ✅ 60-second install so you can start testing immediately. ✅ Real-World Test #1 (Easy): Bug Fix – patch a small production bug on a website in minutes. ✅ Real-World Test #2 (Hard): New Feature – add a full feature to an existing web app: new DB table, API endpoints, and UI components. ✅ Real-World Test #3: From-Scratch Build – spin up a brand-new app, just like starting fresh with Lovable. ✅ My final verdict – is Gemini CLI ready to replace your paid coding tools? If you’re serious about saving time on coding tasks, you do not want to miss this walkthrough. Cheers, Brandon Hancock 🧑‍💻

I just sat down with João Moura, the founder of CrewAI, for a deep-dive interview and if you’re building with agents (or thinking about it), this is a must-watch. João shared major new CrewAI features, real-world examples of how companies like PwC are using agents in production, and his take on where agent development is heading. Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Brand-new CrewAI updates: reasoning agents, Slack integration, one-click deployment, and more ✅ Real use cases from enterprise companies and startups alike ✅ Behind-the-scenes dev insights on flows, evaluations, and scaling agent workflows ✅ How to position yourself for AI dev jobs using CrewAI (including a jobs board you didn’t know existed) Whether you're already using CrewAI or still figuring out which agent framework to pick, this interview will help you see what’s possible and where to go next. Cheers, Brandon Hancock 🧑‍💻

Building real-world AI apps fast is one of the most valuable skills an AI developer can have. Yesterday, I released a new video that's already getting amazing feedback, so make sure you don't miss out! In this video, I'm breaking down the exact 3-step workflow I use to build and ship AI apps 100x faster. Here's what you'll learn: ✅ How to turn a rough idea into a clear, actionable development plan. ✅ My method for rapidly creating interactive mockups to iterate quickly. ✅ Essential development tips to accelerate building your AI apps. As a bonus, you'll see how this workflow applies directly whether you're freelancing or working on your own AI side projects. Also, the creator of Presentify (the tool I used to draw on my screen) hooked me up with a few promo codes, so if you want this app for free, here are some free codes (first come, first served): KEWJWARNHT66 NME3XFXKLEPY HM9HM9EJJ6T7 7YAXALKT7P39 RXWHNTJHKW4L This video is loaded with practical tips designed to save you hundreds of hours. If you're serious about building and shipping real AI projects, you can't miss this one.https://youtu.be/OEJK-J0d1XQ Cheers, Brandon Hancock 🧑‍💻

MCP is quickly becoming the go-to standard for integrating powerful tools with your AI agents. If you're serious about building real-world AI solutions, mastering MCP is a must. In my latest crash course, I'm breaking down exactly how you can level up your ADK agents with MCP integrations that actually work. Here's what you'll learn: ✅ What MCP is, how it works, and why it's essential for ADK agents. ✅ How to build your first MCP-powered ADK agent using remote tools. ✅ Step-by-step instructions to set up your own local MCP server and connect it seamlessly to your ADK agents. As a bonus, I'm giving away all the example MCP + ADK code featured in the video completely free, so you can follow along easily. 👉 https://github.com/bhancockio/adk-mcp-tutorial/tree/main This video is packed with practical insights designed to get you up to speed fast. If you’re looking to enhance your AI development skills, don't miss this one. Cheers, Brandon Hancock 🧑‍💻