Which AI Tools Should You Use in August 2026?

TL;DR

Use Fable 5 Medium for planning, ChatGPT 5.6 Soul Medium for execution, and Opus 5 inside Claude Code when exceptional UI or UX quality is critical. The creator recommends ChatGPT Voice for hands-free delegation and the ChatGPT desktop app as the strongest general agent harness, especially when paired with mobile remote access and connected devices.

Transcript

The number one question I get more than anything is which AI tools should I be using right now? I talk about Chad GBT voice, the number one comment I get, should I be using Hermes anymore? I talk about Claude Code, number one comment, should I be using Codeex anymore? This video is going to answer all of those questions for you. If you've ever felt... Read More

Key Insights

• Fable 5 Medium is the creator's preferred planning model for brainstorming, developing ideas, producing overviews, and deciding how to execute a project. Its role is strategic rather than operational because the creator considers it highly capable but too expensive for routine execution or code writing.
• Medium reasoning is the creator's preferred setting for both Fable 5 and ChatGPT 5.6 Soul. Higher settings are described as more expensive, slower, prone to overthinking, and less readable, while medium reportedly preserves strong performance and provides substantially more practical usage.
• ChatGPT 5.6 Soul Medium is recommended for execution tasks such as writing code, building documents, moving things around a computer, and completing everyday work. The creator considers its coding ability close to Fable 5 while offering better cost-effectiveness and considerably more usage.
• ChatGPT Voice is a hands-free interface for brainstorming and delegating work while away from a desk. The creator uses it through AirPods for hours while walking, asks it to create separate threads for tasks, and continues talking while those delegated threads perform work.
• The ChatGPT desktop app is the creator's preferred AI agent harness because it combines browser use, computer use, and task execution. The creator believes it now handles use cases associated with Hermes Agent and OpenClaw while operating more effectively across computers and connected devices.
• ChatGPT mobile remote functionality is a way to control desktop threads while traveling or away from a computer. A user can begin a remote chat in the mobile app, direct work on the desktop, and potentially reach additional devices when those systems are connected through Tailscale.
• Computer control is illustrated by an installation task involving Deepseek V4 Flash and a DGX Spark. The desktop agent reportedly located the device, searched Unsloth for a suitable model, downloaded it, created a harness, tested the setup, and ran benchmarks without further approvals.
• Opus 5 inside Claude Code is the creator's specialist recommendation for UI, UX, video games, and graphically important projects. ChatGPT 5.6 Soul remains sufficient when visual quality is not the leading priority, but Opus 5 is preferred for production interfaces where design quality is critical.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the best AI model for planning in August 2026?

Fable 5 Medium is the creator's preferred model for planning, brainstorming, idea development, overviews, and determining how to execute a project. He uses it to solve strategic problems and produce best-practice plans, then transfers those plans to ChatGPT for implementation. He avoids using Fable 5 for execution or coding because he describes it as extremely expensive.

Q: Why does the creator prefer medium reasoning settings?

Medium reasoning is presented as the best balance of intelligence, readability, speed, cost, and available usage. The creator says higher thinking levels consume too many tokens, cost too much, overthink requests, and sometimes communicate in an unnatural or difficult style. For execution, extra-high and ultra settings can also spend excessive time on tasks that should be simple.

Q: What is the recommended AI model for coding and execution?

ChatGPT 5.6 Soul Medium is recommended for writing code, creating documents, operating a computer, and handling everyday execution. The creator believes its coding performance is close to Fable 5 while being substantially more cost-effective and offering more usage. He recommends enabling full access and using fast mode when the relevant $200 monthly plan is available.

Q: How can ChatGPT Voice be used to complete work?

ChatGPT Voice can capture spoken ideas, organize work, and delegate tasks while the user is away from a desk. The creator opens voice mode in the mobile or desktop app, explains what needs to be done, and asks the agent to start a new thread. That thread performs the delegated task while the original voice conversation continues.

Q: What is the best AI agent harness according to the creator?

The ChatGPT desktop app is the creator's preferred AI agent harness in August 2026. He ranks it above Hermes Agent, OpenClaw, and Claude Code for general agent work because its browser and computer controls can perform actions that a person could complete on the machine. He also values its integration with mobile remote access and connected devices.

Q: How does ChatGPT remote access work from a mobile device?

The ChatGPT mobile app provides remote functionality that can control threads running on a computer. While away from the desktop, a user can open the mobile app, enter the remote area, and begin a chat that directs the computer to perform work. If multiple devices are connected through Tailscale, the computer can also reach and operate those systems.

Q: What computer task did the ChatGPT desktop agent complete?

The creator asked the agent to install Deepseek V4 Flash on his DGX Spark after sharing a tweet about the release. According to his account, the agent controlled the Mac Studio, found the DGX Spark on the network, searched Unsloth for a fitting model, downloaded it, created a harness, tested it, and ran benchmarks without requiring additional approvals.

Q: When should Opus 5 inside Claude Code be used?

Opus 5 inside Claude Code should be used when UI, UX, video-game presentation, or another graphical element is central to the project's success. The creator says ChatGPT 5.6 Soul is adequate when exceptionally polished design is not the main priority. For a production application intended for thousands of users, however, he prefers Opus 5 despite its awkward communication style.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Fable 5 Medium is presented as the preferred model for brainstorming, planning, idea development, and producing execution strategies. The creator favors its medium setting because higher thinking levels cost more, consume more tokens, overthink requests, and produce less readable responses. The resulting plan can then be handed to an execution model.

• ChatGPT 5.6 Soul Medium is recommended for writing code, building documents, moving items on a computer, and completing routine work. The creator considers medium the best balance of intelligence, usage, speed, and directness. ChatGPT Voice adds hands-free brainstorming, thread creation, task delegation, and productive work away from a desk.

• The ChatGPT desktop app is identified as the preferred agent harness because its browser and computer controls can perform human-like actions across connected systems. Mobile remote chats can control desktop threads, while Tailscale-connected devices expand its reach. Opus 5 inside Claude Code remains the specialist choice for high-priority UI and UX work.