The other day I saw several people in a shopping mall walking around with open MacBooks. To say I was mildly shocked would be an understatement. It turns out this has long ceased to be news, and you can encounter such users not only in malls but also on the streets, in airports, and many other places. The reason is the same for everyone: an AI agent is running inside, writing code, and closing the lid means interrupting the task. Let’s figure out what these tools are, why they need an open lid, and whether you should do this with your MacBook.
Don’t be surprised that this will soon become commonplace
Differences Between an AI Agent and a Regular Chatbot
A regular neural network like ChatGPT, Gemini, or DeepSeek works on a simple scheme: you ask a question — you get an answer. The conversation goes in short exchanges, and every action is initiated by the human.
A chatbot only works when you ask it something, while an agent can operate on a task in the background
An AI agent is the next step. You set a task once (“collect data from photos and upload to a spreadsheet,” “write an app for recording dreams”), and then the program plans the steps itself, writes code, checks the result, and moves on. Such a session can last dozens of minutes without human involvement.
The article mentions specific tools: Claude Code from Anthropic, OpenAI Codex, and OpenCode. All of them work locally or depend on Wi-Fi, so turning off the laptop means losing progress — hence the whole story with open lids.
Why You Can’t Just Close a MacBook
When you close a MacBook’s lid, it goes to sleep by default: processes are frozen, network connections are severed. For an agent that is communicating with Anthropic or OpenAI servers at that moment while simultaneously running code locally, this means the task is interrupted.
For example, one active user of Claude Code and Codex codes during his daughters’ ice skating practice and then walks into the locker room with a half-open laptop, glancing at the screen. Someone boards a plane last — keeping the lid open until the very end and closing it only at their seat. Others launch agents right during classes to avoid wasting tokens (paid units of model requests) and move from classroom to classroom with an open laptop.
There are also more discreet approaches. Some people just walk between meeting rooms, keeping the lid cracked open barely a finger’s width — so as not to look rude in a meeting. One user folds the MacBook into a “small taco” or leaves it cracked open on the passenger seat of a car. These are real stories from people who need their AI agents to keep working without interruption.
Some people even keep their MacBook open at the airport to keep agents running
The whole story is about a new class of tasks: autonomous AI agents for writing code. This is no longer “suggest a function” like in early versions, but a full-fledged executor: it receives a task and goes to work. That’s why users cling to every minute of a working session.
For an ordinary MacBook owner who uses ChatGPT or Apple Intelligence, none of this is relevant. A chatbot request takes seconds, and a closed lid doesn’t interfere with anything. An open laptop on the subway is specifically a story about developers and product managers who run Claude Code, Codex, and similar tools.
If you do find yourself in such a situation, it’s wiser to configure macOS once so it doesn’t sleep when the lid is closed while on power, or at least use the caffeinate command. That’s more reliable than carrying a $1,599 MacBook (approximately 172,000 ₽ in Russia for a base MacBook Pro) through a crowd with the risk of dropping it on the screen corner.
How to Prevent MacBook from Sleeping with a Closed Lid
If you genuinely need macOS to stay awake, walking around with an open laptop isn’t necessary. Apple has built-in mechanisms for this.
A simple command will keep your MacBook awake until you press Ctrl + C
- The caffeinate command in Terminal — the Mac won’t go to sleep as long as the command is active. This is the simplest method for a one-time task.
- Energy Saver settings — in the “Battery” and “Power Adapter” sections, you can prevent sleep mode while connected to power.
- Third-party utilities like Amphetamine or the built-in “prevent your computer from sleeping automatically” mode.
- Clamshell mode with an external monitor — but it’s not suitable if you need to carry the laptop somewhere.
Many MacBook owners know about caffeinate, but in the moment it’s easier to stick a finger under the lid hinge than to open Terminal. This is what became a meme: OpenAI even posted a TikTok video winking at “those who understand.”
What Happens to a MacBook If You Carry It with an Open Lid
The risks of such usage are obvious to any MacBook owner.
Some people carry their MacBook like this. The risks are obvious
- The lid hinges are designed for opening and closing, not for shaking in a half-open state under the weight of the screen. Prolonged use like this accelerates hinge wear.
- Any bump against a doorframe, someone’s bag, or a handrail on public transport with an open screen is a direct risk to the display and flex cables.
- If you drop a half-open laptop, it will most likely land on the screen corner. MacBook display replacement costs are comparable to buying a new entry-level device.
- Liquids and dust get into an open keyboard more easily than a closed one.
One developer, before running to catch a bus, tethers the laptop to the internet through a phone and leaves the lid cracked open. For the agent, this works, but for the MacBook itself — it’s a load it wasn’t designed for.
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