AI-Driven Marketer: Master Practical AI Marketing Skills

Episode: "I've Mocked AI Agents for 2 Years. January 2026 Changed My Mind."

Host: Dan Sanchez
Guest: Travis Sanchez
Date: January 23, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode marks a notable shift in the host’s perspective on AI agents. After two years of skepticism, Dan Sanchez (with guest and brother Travis) declares that January 2026 is the inflection point for practical, impactful AI agents in marketing. They dive into the latest AI agent developments—especially tools like Anthropic’s Claude Cowork and Google Gemini—and discuss how marketers can adapt, experiment, and maintain relevance in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The conversation is frank, tool-focused, and full of practical examples, moving beyond hype to actionable insights for day-to-day marketers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "The Year of the Agents"

• Dan proclaims 2026 as the 'Year of the Agents', not as a futuristic prediction but as an immediate reality:

  "Yes, agents are finally starting to become useful. They're starting to be baked into the products that we use, and we're actually starting to leverage them in ways that are making a difference for marketers..." (00:14)

• The metaphorical “Year of the Horse” in the Chinese zodiac is humorously reinterpreted as a nod to agents making marketing move faster (01:08–01:40).

2. Claude Cowork—New Power for Marketers

• Anthropic’s Claude Cowork is now accessible at a $20/month level (down from $200), bringing powerful agent-like functionality to more users (01:39–02:45).
• Unique capability:
  • Direct terminal/command line access (Mac-only): enables the agent to control files, organize desktops, create and move files, and handle complex workflows with minimal user input (03:00–04:54).
  • Early attempts show mixed results—high potential, but still needs refinement:

    "...the few instances, few things I've given it to do so far, it's like failed at miserably... But I have seen some tutorials of other people who have used it to do some pretty interesting things..." (04:54)

• Key shift: Claude Cowork stores “memory” in files, allowing agents to offload and revisit important conversation points, supporting long workflows that simulate human knowledge work (05:57–06:54).

3. Vibe Coding: The Next Skill Marketers Must Master

• Dan emphasizes that using AI to 'vibe code'—expressing intent rather than writing formal code—is the next frontier for marketers (07:08).
• Claude Code vs. ChatGPT Codex:
  • Claude Code is preferred by developers because it mimics pair programming, checking in frequently (08:14).
  • ChatGPT’s Codex appeals to non-developers and marketers because it just “gets it done,” requiring less technical supervision (09:12):

    "Codex is moving along. So I don't have a lot—I haven't used Codex at all. And I'm now looking forward to. Because of this article. I'm like, oh, maybe this is the thing. Because I like how ChatGPT handles a lot of things. It doesn't check back as much. It just gets it done." (09:12–09:44)

4. Gemini Now Embedded in Google Drive

• Major workflow upgrade: Gemini now allows Drive users to search contextually, locate and move files, and even create new files via simple prompts (10:34–11:54).
• Real-world example: Dan uses Gemini to find and move a misfiled show notes document, showing how agents now take small but meaningful actions for users (11:54–12:16).
• Practical advice:

  "...spend 30 minutes tinkering with it, it'll be something that saves you a lot of time over the next weeks and for the rest of the year." (12:26–12:44)

5. From Tasks to Systems: The Mindset Shift

• Dan urges marketers to shift from a task mindset to a systems mindset:

  "If you don't want to be part of the ones who lose their jobs, you need to start thinking in systems rather than tasks... that's going to be something big." (13:19–14:00)

• Teases his next book, centered on building agent-ready systems for marketing, and invites listeners to sign up for updates (14:00–14:53).

6. Hands-On with Everyday AI

Gemini & Image Editing

• Travis shares how Gemini easily edited a headshot during a live meeting, impressing others with seamless background removal and alignment (16:04–16:38).
• Dan confirms he now regularly uses Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT, each for their strengths:

  "ChatGPT is still the daily driver, but all three are pretty much in my workflow pretty consistently now." (16:46)

Image Upscaling

• Dan describes using AI tools to upscale internet images for personal projects, highlighting the rapid progress and accessibility of such tools for routine marketing tasks (17:00–19:20).

Coaching Language via AI

• Travis explains AI helped him coach a manager by generating effective language rooted in leadership frameworks, allowing for nuanced, context-aware feedback (19:23–20:44).
• Dan echoes the value:

  "It makes life easier to have doors to open. Because sometimes you're like, I only see one way forward. But it's not a good one." (20:44–21:16)

Tangible Product Advice

• Dan used ChatGPT to interpret a wall of car oil filters and pick the right model for multiple vehicles, saving time and reducing errors (21:16–22:00).

7. Poll of the Week: Are Marketers "Vibe Coding" Yet?

• Only 11% of surveyed marketers are using vibe coding daily, 25% weekly, 42% tried once, and 22% don't know what it is.

  "...it's very early for this thing. So if you want... Where can I get ahead? This is where you get ahead right now." (23:40–24:54)

• Dan suggests specializing in vibe coding tools is a rare, timely opportunity for marketers.

8. Experimenting with Vibe Coding: From Games to Landing Pages

• Travis ran a vibe coding experiment to recreate a simple 2D game (Level Devil) with AI (24:54–25:41).
• Dan focuses on marketing apps like auto-generating landing pages, micro sites, and reader-friendly plugins—tasks that typically take hours, now drastically sped up with vibe coding (25:41–26:32).
• Both discuss the potential for marketers to "own" niche AI utilities (like image upscalers or calculators) before such apps become commoditized (26:54–27:30).

9. Viral Post: End of Human Coding?

• Node.js inventor declares human coding is ending:

  "The man who invented Node.js... declares the age of humans writing code themselves is going to end." (29:18)

• Developers (like copywriters) are rapidly being replaced in part or augmented by AI, leading to job market shifts where mid-level roles are most vulnerable (29:18–31:10).

10. Human Skills Remain Crucial

• Dan warns that while technical AI skills are vital, marketers' uniquely human abilities—relationships, creativity, intuitive problem-solving—remain irreplaceable:

  "You can't vibe code your way to that... you will have to depend on the things that are uniquely human in order to make a difference." (30:54–31:15)

• Travis agrees, recounting his strengths in workplace relationships (31:10–31:15).
• Dan frames AI use as more "intuitive game and creative game than... a technical game" (31:57).
• Conversation briefly diverges into Neuralink and "transhuman" futures, humorously concluding that for now, AI agents (not brain chips) are the top priority (32:21–33:14).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Agents are finally starting to become useful. They're starting to be baked into the products that we use..." — Dan Sanchez (00:14)
• "Claude Cowork accesses your terminal, which is like your command prompt area... If Claude can have access to that, then it can make files, it can move files..." — Dan Sanchez (03:00–03:35)
• "I think marketers are... one of the things that I'm really trying to be pushing for on this show is that I think there could potentially be some job loss with marketers. And if you don't want to be part of the ones who lose their jobs, you need to start thinking in systems rather than tasks." — Dan Sanchez (13:19–14:00)
• "The man who invented Node.js... declares the age of humans writing code themselves is going to end." — Dan Sanchez (29:18)
• "It is a big deal. So if anything, we need to become more technical and increasingly more human in our way we approach people and the way we approach problems and the way we even approach AI." — Dan Sanchez (31:15)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 – 01:40: Year of Agents, intro, humor about mechanical horses.
• 01:40 – 06:54: Claude Cowork news, demo stories, agentic workflows.
• 06:54 – 10:34: Vibe Coding, Codex vs Claude Code, implications for marketers.
• 10:34 – 12:16: Gemini embedded in Drive, practical search and action features.
• 12:16 – 14:53: Marketers’ job security & systems mindset, book teaser.
• 16:04 – 22:00: Everyday AI tools—Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude—in marketing life.
• 23:40 – 24:54: Poll: Marketers and vibe coding—status and trends.
• 24:54 – 26:32: Vibe coding experiments: games, landing pages.
• 26:54 – 27:30: Micro tools for marketers—image upscaling and more.
• 29:18 – 31:10: Node.js creator’s statement; impact on developers, role shifts.
• 31:10 – 32:33: Uniquely human skills, embracing both tech & creativity.
• 32:33 – 33:14: Mini tangent on Neuralink and transhumanism.

Episode Takeaways

• AI agents are here now—2026 marks a practical turning point.
• Key tools: Claude Cowork, ChatGPT Codex, and Gemini are reshaping routine marketing work with agentic, multi-step automations.
• Vibe coding is an emerging must-have skill, opening new possibilities for marketers beyond writing code.
• Shift focus from executing tasks to designing systems—future-proof your career by becoming the marketer who builds robust, agent-powered processes.
• Human intuition, creativity, and relationships remain invaluable—AI is an amplifier, not a substitute for our best qualities.

Further Resources Mentioned:

• aidrivermarketer.com/systems – Dan’s upcoming book and system-building insights.
• High Level CRM/software—Dan’s preferred tool for organizing marketing systems.
• Level Devil (mobile game used in vibe coding experiment).
• Free AI image upscaler (tool likely linked in episode notes).

This summary is designed for marketers who want a comprehensive, actionable understanding of where AI agent tech is headed and how to harness it for real-world results, without losing sight of the human side of marketing.