Peter Steinberger, the developer behind the AI personal assistant now known as OpenClaw, has joined OpenAI, marking a new chapter for both the creator and his fast-rising project.
OpenClaw, which had previously operated under the names Clawdbot and Moltbot, gained viral traction in recent weeks for positioning itself as the “AI that actually does things.” The assistant was designed to handle practical, real-world tasks such as managing calendars, booking flights, and even interacting within a social network populated by other AI assistants. Its rapid popularity brought attention not only to its functionality but also to its evolving identity.
The project underwent two name changes along the way. The first shift came after Anthropic threatened legal action due to similarities between the name Clawdbot and its own AI system Claude. The second change was more personal, with Steinberger opting for the name OpenClaw simply because he preferred it.
In a blog post announcing his move to OpenAI, Steinberger reflected on his decision. While he acknowledged the possibility of scaling OpenClaw into a major standalone company, he explained that the prospect did not align with his ambitions. “It’s not really exciting for me,” he wrote.
“What I want is to change the world, not build a large company[,] and teaming up with OpenAI is the fastest way to bring this to everyone,” Steinberger said.
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, confirmed the news in a post on X, stating that Steinberger will “drive the next generation of personal agents” in his new role. Addressing the future of OpenClaw, Altman added that the project will “live in a foundation as an open source project that OpenAI will continue to support.”
With Steinberger now part of OpenAI, the focus appears to be shifting toward scaling personal AI agents within a broader ecosystem, while preserving OpenClaw’s open-source roots. The move reflects a growing emphasis on agent-based AI systems capable of handling real-world tasks autonomously, as competition in the space continues to intensify.
