Day 1 challenge

Goal: explore Sidekick’s core capabilities and configure your agent

Theme: foundation week - getting started with agents

Time investment: ~10 minutes

Welcome to your first day with Hypermode Agents! Today you’ll get familiar with Sidekick, your AI-powered agent platform that goes far beyond simple chat. You’ll explore its search capabilities, learn to configure your agent, and understand what makes agents different from traditional AI assistants.

Sidekick isn’t just another chatbot—it’s an intelligent agent that can search the web, research people and companies, and integrate with your tools to take real actions.

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What you’ll accomplish today

  • Explore Sidekick’s interface and understand agent vs. chat differences
  • Test web search capabilities with real-time information
  • Try LinkedIn and professional research features
  • Configure your agent settings for optimal performance
  • Experience your first agent interaction

This is not just another AI chat interface. Sidekick is designed to act on your behalf, search for current information, and integrate with real tools. You’ll see the difference immediately.

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Step 1: explore the Sidekick interface

When you first open Sidekick, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the interface. Notice the key elements that make this different from standard AI chat:

Key interface elements:

  • Chat area: Where you interact with Sidekick naturally
  • Sidebar connections: Available integrations and tools
  • Model indicator: Shows you’re using GPT-4.1 (available exclusively for Sidekick)
  • Search indicators: Visual cues when Sidekick is searching or taking actions

Start with a simple greeting:

Hello Sidekick! I'm starting the 30 Days of Agents program.
Can you tell me what makes you different from other AI assistants?

Notice how Sidekick explains its capabilities and agent-like features.

Agent learning moment Sidekick can take real actions, not just provide suggestions. This fundamental difference shapes how you interact with it.

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Step 2: test web search capabilities

One of Sidekick’s core strengths is real-time web search. Let’s test this with current information:

Try this search request:

Can you search for the latest news about AI developments this week?
I'm particularly interested in any major announcements or breakthroughs.

Watch how Sidekick:

  • Automatically searches current web sources
  • Synthesizes information from multiple results
  • Provides recent, relevant findings
  • Cites sources for verification

Try another search:

What are the current stock market trends today?
Focus on technology companies and any market-moving news.

Notice how Sidekick retrieves real-time information and presents it in a structured, actionable format.

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Step 3: explore LinkedIn and professional research

Sidekick excels at professional research. Let’s test its ability to find and analyze professional information:

Try this LinkedIn-style research:

Can you research Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn?
I'd like to know about his current activities, recent posts or articles, and any speaking engagements or interviews.

Sidekick can:

  • Search for current professional information
  • Find recent articles, interviews, or posts
  • Provide context about current business activities
  • Organize information for professional networking purposes

Try company research:

I'm interested in learning about Anthropic's recent developments.
Can you research their latest product announcements, funding news, and key executives?

Pro insight Sidekick’s research goes beyond basic Google searches. It synthesizes professional context that’s actually useful for business relationships and decision-making.

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Step 4: configure your agent settings

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Model selection

Sidekick uses GPT-4.1 as its core model, providing you with cutting-edge AI capabilities specifically optimized for agent interactions. For information about all available models across the Hypermode platform, visit our model documentation.

Explore the connections panel in your sidebar:

  • Review available integrations
  • Note which connections are ready to use
  • Identify which tools you might want to connect later

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What just happened?

In just 10 minutes, you’ve discovered what makes Sidekick different:

Real-time intelligence - Sidekick searches current information, not just pre-trained knowledge

Professional research capabilities - Can research people, companies, and industry trends with business context

Optimized AI model - Uses GPT-4.1 specifically configured for agent interactions and real-world tasks

Agent behavior - Takes actions and provides solutions, not just answers

Integration ready - Prepared to connect with your tools and workflows

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The power of agent interaction

Unlike traditional AI chat interfaces, Sidekick is designed for ongoing collaboration. It learns your preferences, takes real actions, and provides current information. This foundation enables everything you’ll learn in the remaining 29 days.

Tomorrow - Day 2

Get Sidekick to work preparing for a real meeting. Research contacts, connect your calendar, and experience true agent productivity.

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Pro tip for today

Before tomorrow’s session, try this experiment:

Based on our interactions today, what do you think I should focus on learning about agents?
What seems most relevant to my work style and interests?

This helps Sidekick begin personalizing its approach to your specific needs and sets up tomorrow’s more advanced interactions.

Time to complete: ~10 minutes

Skills learned: agent interface navigation, web search capabilities, professional research, agent configuration, understanding agent vs. chat differences

Next day 2 - Research contacts and connect your productivity tools

Remember you’re not just learning a new tool—you’re developing a new way to work. Sidekick adapts to your style and becomes more helpful with each interaction.