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Build a Hermes-style Agent Workflow

The article explains a Hermes Agent–style architecture for chaining AI tasks while controlling token costs and preserving institutional context. Instead of sending raw data to an external model for every request, the pattern stores data on infrastructure you control (context store), keeps reusable guidance and voice rules in a searchable skill library, and uses a minimal-prompt extractor to pass only a tiny, relevant slice to an LLM. The approach is provider-agnostic (you can swap models) and reduces per-call token bills while accumulating reusable knowledge that improves over time. The piece also warns teams to evaluate model choice, handle procurement/security for API access, and notes providers such as Anthropic enforce API terms against subscription-routing workarounds.

Marketers Are Overtrusting AI Collaborators, Warns John McCarthy

John McCarthy, The Drum’s opinion editor, argues that many marketers treat generative AI and LLMs as unquestioned 'collaborators', which risks eroding human critique, editorial friction and creative rigor. The column—published 2026-07-06—uses anecdote and industry survey citations (Adobe, HubSpot, Canva) to show widespread AI use for ideation and creative starting points, and points to real-world harms where chatbots reinforced false beliefs. McCarthy warns that overreliance on AI for brainstorming, critique and strategy will produce lower-quality, homogenised work and that organisations need dissenting human roles (editors, curmudgeons) to push back. The piece is an opinion critique of current marketing practice rather than a technical announcement or policy change.

iOS 27 beta adds Siri Pace and Expressivity controls

Apple’s iOS 27 developer beta 3 (published July 6, 2026) enables new voice customization controls for Siri, adding sliders for “Pace” (speech speed) and “Expressivity” (human-like emotion). Beta testers can choose among a range of voices and accents, then adjust how quickly and how emotionally Siri speaks; Siri will play sample phrases so users can preview changes. The release is part of Apple’s broader rebuild of Siri around generative AI and deep integration across iOS 27, including a stand-alone Siri app and multiple ways to invoke the assistant. The article notes similar voice-customization features previously rolled out for ChatGPT in December 2025 and mentions minor iOS 27 beta UI changes and reports from some users about losing access to the new Siri or seeing re-indexing activity after updating.