AI Agents: New Models, Features, and a Major Acquisition

Summary

The AI agent landscape saw significant developments this week, with the release of Z.ai's GLM 5.2, an open-source model claimed to be significantly cheaper and comparable in performance to leading models like GPT 5.5 and Claude Opus 4.8. This model can be easily integrated into the Cursor code editor using OpenRouter, allowing users to create agents for tasks like building apps with databases and authentication, researching and building landing pages, or connecting to Notion and Slack. Separately, Codex introduced a "record and replay" feature that allows users to record their screen interactions and instantly convert them into reusable skills, streamlining the creation of custom AI functionalities. In a major business move, SpaceX acquired Cursor, a development tool, for an undisclosed amount, signaling potential for significant improvements and greater accessibility to its AI coding platform, likely intensifying competition with Codex and Claude Desktop. Meanwhile, Anthropic's Fable model remains unavailable, leaving users in what's described as a "Fable depression" due to its perceived superior capabilities. Anthropic is reportedly working with the government to reinstate its availability. Claude also updated its design mode for easier on-canvas editing and sharing, and Claude Code gained the ability to create interactive "artifacts" or mini-apps.