# Insights

> Notes, guides and news from insidethebox on AI agents, web and mobile engineering, product and consulting.

Notes, guides and agency news.

- Source: https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights

## topics

- **All**
- **AI**
- **Engineering**
- **Product**
- **Consulting**

## From around the web

Headlines we are reading from the sources we follow. Links open the original article.

- [OpenAI](https://openai.com/news/rss.xml) (AI)
- [Google AI](https://blog.google/technology/ai/rss/) (AI)
- [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/blog/feed.xml) (AI)
- [Simon Willison](https://simonwillison.net/atom/entries/) (AI, Engineering)
- [web.dev](https://web.dev/static/blog/feed.xml) (Engineering)
- [Chrome for Developers](https://developer.chrome.com/static/blog/feed.xml) (Engineering)
- [Vercel](https://vercel.com/atom) (Engineering)
- [Smashing Magazine](https://www.smashingmagazine.com/feed/) (Engineering, Product)
- [Apple Developer](https://developer.apple.com/news/rss/news.rss) (Engineering)
- [Android Developers](https://android-developers.googleblog.com/feeds/posts/default) (Engineering)
- [Google Ads & Commerce](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/rss/) (Product)
- [Lenny's Newsletter](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/feed) (Product)
- [MIT Sloan Management Review](https://sloanreview.mit.edu/feed/) (Consulting)
- [McKinsey Insights](https://www.mckinsey.com/insights/rss) (Consulting)

## Insights

- [What it takes to run AI agents in production](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/ai-agents-in-production.md): A practical guide to running AI agents in 2026, from scoping one workflow, tools and MCP to approvals, security, evals, operations and the rules for agents that talk to people.
- [Beyond the app icon: notifications, widgets, Live Activities and watch apps](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/beyond-the-app-icon.md): A practical guide to what an app does outside its own screens in 2026, on iOS and Android, from notifications and widgets to Live Activities and watch apps.
- [Build, buy or extend: how to decide](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/build-buy-or-extend.md): How to choose between building custom software, buying a product or extending what you have, from total cost over three to five years to hidden costs, lock-in, risk and a decision matrix.
- [What it takes to build a web application in 2026](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/building-a-web-application.md): A practical guide to building a business web application in 2026, covering scope, architecture, security, accessibility, testing and delivery, running it in production, and cost.
- [From AI pilots to real gains](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/from-ai-pilots-to-real-gains.md): A practical playbook for getting measurable value from AI in 2026, covering use cases, redesigned work, honest pilots, quality gates, governance and training.
- [How Google Ads works in 2026: a practical guide](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/how-google-ads-works.md): A practical guide to Google Ads in 2026, covering campaign types, where ads show, the auction and Ad Rank, Smart Bidding and AI Max, Performance Max and measurement.
- [How Meta ads work: formats, placements and the auction](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/how-meta-ads-work.md): A practical guide to Meta ads in 2026, covering the four ad formats and their specs, where ads run, how the auction picks a winner and how to measure results.
- [How TikTok ads work: formats, creative, Smart+, Shop and measurement](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/how-tiktok-ads-work.md): How TikTok advertising works in 2026, from In-Feed and Spark Ads to creative for the For You feed, Smart+, TikTok Shop, bidding, a performance playbook and measurement.
- [Shipping mobile apps faster without cutting corners](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/shipping-mobile-apps-faster.md): How we keep mobile projects moving — early prototypes, shared foundations and a release pipeline that makes store day boring.
- [Why your website still matters in the age of AI search](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/websites-still-matter-for-ai-search.md): AI assistants answer from pages they can fetch and understand. What they read, what helps, what doesn't, and how to measure it.
- [What are ChatGPT ads? A practical guide for 2026](https://www.insidethebox.dev/insights/what-are-chatgpt-ads.md): ChatGPT now shows sponsored placements matched to the conversation. How they work, what they cost, what advertisers see and how to prepare your site.