Nous Research releases Hermes Agent v0.17.0, introducing background subagents and private agent-to-agent communication

Hermes Agent v0.17.0 just dropped

This is The Reach Release.

Hermes is no longer just getting smarter.

It is getting closer to where people actually work.

iMessage. WhatsApp. Telegram. Desktop. Async agents. Image editing. Team sharing.

Here’s what actually matters ↓

1. iMessage support via Photon

No Mac relay. No BlueBubbles setup.

Just:

hermes photon login

Hermes can now send and receive iMessage through Photon.

If you live in blue bubbles, this is a big one.

2. Raft agent network integration

Hermes can now join the Raft agent network as a gateway channel. Privacy-first wake system.

Other agents can reach Hermes without exposing full message content.

That matters a lot as agent networks start becoming real.

3. Desktop app is becoming a daily driver

The desktop app got a serious upgrade.

• Rebindable shortcuts • Native notifications • Live subagent watch windows • VS Code themes • Resizable terminal • Composer presets • RTL support

This is starting to feel like a real command center.

Not just a wrapper.

4. Background subagents

This might be one of the biggest workflow upgrades.

delegate_task(background=true)

Now your main agent can delegate work and keep moving.

Research. Builds. Long-running tasks. Analysis.

The subagent works in the background and returns results later.

No more waiting around.

5. Image editing is here

image_generate now supports image-to-image editing.

Upload an image. Give it instructions. Let the agent edit. Examples:

• Make this logo blue • Remove the background • Change the style • Modify this asset

This unlocks a lot for creative workflows.

6. Automation and sharing got better

A lot landed here.

• Automation Blueprints • Cursor Composer model via xAI Grok subscription • Full profile builder in the dashboard • Skills Hub with previews and security scans • Atomic batch memory operations • Official WhatsApp Business Cloud API support • Rich text on Telegram • Curator now costs zero tokens on routine runs

This is the kind of release that makes Hermes easier to use, easier to share, and easier to trust.

Huge stability, security, and desktop improvements throughout.

How to update:

Run hermes update

This release really does feel like Hermes is reaching everywhere.