If you have been catching up with AI news over the past few weeks or so, you must be aware of OpenClaw. For those unaware, OpenClaw has been trending as the “AI that actually does things.” At a time when most AI tools focus on delivering chat responses and content generation, OpenClaw promises action.
The AI tool allows users to assist with real-world tasks such as managing calendars, booking flights, coordinating schedules, and even interacting inside networks populated by other AI assistants. This very feature has helped OpenClaw make its name in a crowded market in a short span. Now, it seems the craze around OpenClaw has grabbed the attention of OpenAI, as it has now hired the creator of OpenClaw.
OpenClaw creator joins OpenAI to make personal AI agents accessible to masses
Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, has officially joined OpenAI. In an official blog post, the Austrian developer hinted that while OpenClaw could have grown into a large standalone company, building another tech business was not his primary goal. He apparently wanted to focus on impact rather than company building. Steinberger believes that collaborating with OpenAI is the fastest way to bring advanced personal agents to a global audience.
Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also confirmed the hiring of Steinberger on X. He says that this move will help drive the next generation of personal agents within the company. As for OpenClaw itself, Altman has hinted that the project will transition into a foundation as an open source initiative, with OpenAI continuing to support it.
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By doing so, the creator of OpenClaw wants to keep the original concept accessible while working inside a larger platform. For the uninitiated, the project also drew attention for its rapid evolution in the past. The AI agent originally launched under the name Clawdbot but was forced to rebrand after Anthropic reportedly raised legal concerns over similarities to Claude.
That’s not all; it was briefly renamed Moltbot before settling on OpenClaw, a name Steinberger later said he simply preferred. The rebrands only added to the buzz, reinforcing its visibility during a period when AI agents are becoming the industry’s next major battleground.
