By CIO Insider Team
 

Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI, and the open source assistant is transitioning into a foundation, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced.

"Peter Steinberger is joining OpenAI to drive the next generation of personal agents," Altman said in a post on X, adding "OpenClaw will live on as an open-source project that OpenAI will continue to support."

OpenClaw, formerly known as Clawdbot or Moltbot, is what fans describe as an assistant that can stay on top of emails, deal with insurers, check in for flights and perform myriad other tasks.

OpenClaw has had a viral rise since it was first introduced in November, receiving more than 100,000 stars on code repository GitHub and drawing two million visitors in a single week, according to a blog post by Steinberger.

OpenClaw's growing popularity has attracted scrutiny, with China's industry ministry warning the open-source AI agent could pose significant security risks when improperly configured and expose users to cyberattacks and data breaches.

"It’s always been important to me that OpenClaw stays open source and given the freedom to flourish. Ultimately, I felt OpenAI was the best place to continue pushing on my vision and expand its reach," Steinberger posted in a blog.

The move marks a significant shift for OpenClaw, as it transitions from a rapidly growing open-source project to being closely integrated with OpenAI's vision for personal AI agents.

By joining OpenAI, Steinberger aims to leverage the organization's resources, research capabilities, and vast expertise to accelerate the development of more robust, intelligent personal assistants that can simplify and enhance various aspects of daily life.

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The support from OpenAI could significantly extend OpenClaw's features and user base, making it a more powerful tool for both individual and enterprise applications.

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OpenAI’s backing of OpenClaw also opens up opportunities for greater collaboration within the AI community. As the open-source bot evolves, it could inspire more developers to contribute to its growth, potentially creating a new wave of innovation in the personal assistant space.

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While security concerns persist, particularly with AI agents like OpenClaw having access to sensitive data, Steinberger has reassured users that the commitment to open-source principles will continue, with transparency and control being central to its development.