TL;DR: OpenClaw

What it is: Open-source AI agent that actually does things
Runs: Locally on your computer (Mac/Windows/Linux)
Control via: WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, iMessage
Does: Email, calendar, tasks, automation, commands
Cost: Free (you pay for AI API like Claude/GPT)
Status: 140K+ GitHub stars, creator joined OpenAI Feb 2026
Reality: Most powerful personal AI agent, but technical setup

An AI assistant that actually does things on your computer.

Here's everything you need to know.

What Is OpenClaw?

Simple answer: AI agent you control via messaging apps

Created by: Peter Steinberger (Austrian developer)
Released: November 2025 as "Clawdbot"
Renamed: Moltbot (Jan 27, 2026) → OpenClaw (Jan 30, 2026)
GitHub stars: 140K+ (viral growth)

The concept:

• Runs on YOUR computer (local)

• You message it like a coworker

• It does actual tasks (not just chat)

• Remembers context forever

• Works 24/7 in background

Why OpenClaw Went Viral

Before OpenClaw

Old AI assistants:

• Siri: Can't do much

• ChatGPT: Just answers questions

• Alexa: Limited commands

Problem: They talk but don't DO

OpenClaw Difference

Actually does things: ✓ Reads and sends your emails
✓ Manages your calendar
✓ Runs commands on your computer
✓ Automates workflows
✓ Remembers everything
✓ Works across all your apps

Users call it: "AI with hands" / "JARVIS for real"

How OpenClaw Works

Architecture

Three components:

1. Gateway (runs on your computer)

• Control center

• Always running in background

• Connects everything

2. AI Model (your choice)

• Claude (Anthropic)

• GPT-4 (OpenAI)

• DeepSeek (Chinese)

• Or local models

3. Channels (where you interact)

• WhatsApp

• Telegram

• Discord

• Slack

• iMessage

• Signal

Workflow Example

You (via WhatsApp):
"Clear my inbox, move newsletters to folder, flag urgent"

OpenClaw:

1. Reads your emails

2. Categorizes them

3. Moves newsletters

4. Flags urgent ones

5. Responds: "Done. 23 emails sorted, 3 flagged urgent"

Time: 30 seconds vs 30 minutes manually

Key Features

1. Persistent Memory

Remembers:

• All previous conversations

• Your preferences

• Work patterns

• Custom instructions

Example: You: "Schedule meeting with Sarah"
OpenClaw: "Same time as usual Thursdays 2pm?"
(It remembers your patterns)

2. Skills System

What are skills: Pre-built capabilities you install

Examples:

• Email management

• Calendar sync

• GitHub integration

• Spotify control

• Smart home devices

• Web scraping

How many: 100+ community skills

3. Proactive Actions

OpenClaw can:

• Check for you periodically

• Run scheduled tasks (cron jobs)

• Respond to webhooks

• Send you updates without asking

Example: "Check my calendar every morning at 7am and send me today's schedule"

4. Cross-Platform

Works everywhere:

• Mac (M1/M2/Intel)

• Windows (via WSL2)

• Linux (native)

• Raspberry Pi

• Cloud servers (DigitalOcean, AWS)

Real Use Cases

Email Management

Before OpenClaw:

• 200 unread emails

• 1 hour daily sorting

• Miss important stuff

With OpenClaw: "Clean my inbox daily at 8am. Archive newsletters, flag from boss, summarize urgent."

Result: Inbox zero, 5 minutes daily

Calendar & Scheduling

Before:

• Manually schedule meetings

• Time zone confusion

• Double bookings

With OpenClaw: "Schedule 30min with John next week, avoid mornings, send invite"

Result: Automated scheduling

Developer Workflows

Before:

• Manual deployment checks

• Missing GitHub notifications

• Forgotten PRs

With OpenClaw: "Monitor my GitHub repos. Notify me of PRs, run tests on commits, alert if build fails"

Result: Automated DevOps monitoring

Personal Productivity

Before:

• Forget tasks

• Miss deadlines

• Manual tracking

With OpenClaw: "Every Sunday, review my week, list incomplete tasks, suggest priorities for next week"

Result: Automated weekly reviews

Smart Home

Example workflows:

• "Turn off all lights when I leave"

• "Set thermostat based on weather"

• "Lock doors at 11pm daily"

Integration: Works with Hue, Nest, etc.

Security & Privacy

The Honest Truth

OpenClaw is powerful = potentially dangerous

Why security matters: ✓ Full access to your computer
✓ Can read/send emails
✓ Can run terminal commands
✓ Can access files
✓ Can control apps

Security Risks

Risk 1: Prompt injection Attacker puts malicious commands in email → OpenClaw executes

Risk 2: Misconfigured access If exposed to internet = anyone can control

Risk 3: Malicious skills Community skills might be malicious

Risk 4: Over-permissions Giving too much access = more risk

How to Use Safely

Best practices:

1. Run on separate device Use dedicated Mac mini or VM, not main computer

2. Use authentication Always set password/token (never auth: none)

3. Vet skills Only install trusted skills, read code

4. Limit access Don't give banking/password access

5. Use Temporary Chat When feeding sensitive docs to AI

6. Monitor logs Review what OpenClaw does

Official warning: "If you can't run command line, this is too dangerous for you" - OpenClaw maintainer

OpenClaw History & Drama

Timeline

Nov 2025: Released as "Clawdbot"
Named after Claude (Anthropic's AI)

Jan 2026: Goes viral (60K stars in 72 hours)

Jan 27, 2026: Anthropic sends cease & desist
Renamed to "Moltbot" (lobster theme)

Jan 30, 2026: Renamed again to "OpenClaw"
Trademark cleared this time

Feb 14, 2026: Creator joins OpenAI
Project moves to independent foundation

The Anthropic Drama

What happened:

• Original name "Clawdbot" referenced Claude

• Anthropic threatened legal action

• Gave days to rename

• Refused to allow redirects

Result:

• Creator renamed twice

• Community frustrated with Anthropic

• Eventually joined OpenAI (competitor)

Irony: Anthropic pushed viral project to rival

The Moltbook Phenomenon

What is Moltbook: Social network FOR AI agents (not humans)

Created by: An OpenClaw agent itself

What happens:

• AI agents post and comment

• Agents argue and debate

• Agents upvote each other

• Humans watch but can't participate

Size: 1.5M+ AI agents

Quote: "Black Mirror version of Reddit"

20 Essential OpenClaw Prompts

Email Management (5 Prompts)

Prompt 1: Inbox zero

Clean my inbox:
- Archive all newsletters and promotional emails
- Flag emails from [boss name] and [important contacts]

Prompt 2: Daily email digest

Prompt 3: Email drafting

Draft response to [sender]:
Context: [explain situation]
Tone: Professional but friendly
Include: [key points]

Prompt 4: Meeting follow-up

After my [meeting name]

Prompt 5: Newsletter cleanup

Find all newsletter subscriptions.
Unsubscribe from ones I haven't opened in 3 months.
Keep: [list newsletters you want]

Calendar & Scheduling (5 Prompts)

Prompt 6: Smart scheduling

Schedule 30min meeting with [person]:
- Next week, avoid Mondays and mornings
- Find time both of us are free
- Send calendar invite
- Include Zoom link
- Add agenda: [topic]

Prompt 7: Daily schedule

Prompt 8: Meeting prep

I have [meeting name]

Prompt 9: Time blocking

Prompt 10: Recurring reminders

Task Management (5 Prompts)

Prompt 11: Task capture

I'm brain dumping tasks. Create organized list:
[paste or dictate all tasks]

Prompt 12: Daily standup

Prompt 13: Project breakdown

Break down this project: [describe project]

Prompt 14: Pomodoro timer

Prompt 15: Weekly review

Automation & Monitoring (5 Prompts)

Prompt 16: GitHub monitoring

Prompt 17: News monitoring

Track news about: [your topics]
- Check every 6 hours
- Filter for: major developments only
- Summarize in bullet points
- Alert immediately if: [specific events]

Prompt 18: Expense tracking

Prompt 19: Smart reminders

Prompt 20: Status reports

Generate weekly status report every Friday 3pm:
- Projects: progress and blockers
- Meetings: key outcomes
- Metrics: [specific KPIs]
- Next week: priorities
- Requests: what I need from team

Email to: [recipients]

OpenClaw vs Alternatives

vs ChatGPT

ChatGPT: ✗ Can't access your apps
✗ Can't do actions
✗ Can't run commands
✓ Easier to use
✓ No setup

OpenClaw: ✓ Full system access
✓ Actually does things
✓ Proactive automation
✗ Complex setup
✗ Security risks

vs Claude Code

Claude Code: ✓ Terminal coding tool
✓ Best for developers
✗ Coding-focused only

OpenClaw: ✓ General AI assistant
✓ Works across all apps
✓ Not just coding

Reality: Different tools, different purposes

vs Cursor

Cursor: ✓ AI IDE for coding
✓ Multi-file editing
✗ Development only

OpenClaw: ✓ Personal productivity
✓ Email, calendar, tasks
✗ Not an IDE

Reality: Use both for different needs

Installation Overview

Quick version:

1. Install Node.js (v22+)

2. Install OpenClaw: npm install -g openclaw

3. Run setup: openclaw onboard --install-daemon

4. Connect messaging app

5. Choose AI model (Claude/GPT)

6. Start using

Detailed guide: See our installation tutorial article

Time: 30-60 minutes first time

Cost Breakdown

OpenClaw itself: Free (open-source)

What you pay for:

AI Model:

• Claude Pro: $20/month (recommended)

• ChatGPT Plus: $20/month

• GPT-4 API: Pay per use (~$0.03 per 1K tokens)

• Local models: Free (runs on your hardware)

Hosting (if not local):

• Mac mini: $599 one-time

• DigitalOcean: $6-50/month

• AWS/Cloud: Varies

Total typical: $20-40/month

Common Issues

Issue 1: Too technical

Problem: Setup requires terminal/CLI knowledge

Solution:

• Follow step-by-step guide carefully

• Use DigitalOcean 1-Click deploy

• Ask in Discord community

Issue 2: Security concerns

Problem: Full system access is scary

Solution:

• Run on separate device

• Use authentication

• Start with limited permissions

• Read security guide

Issue 3: AI costs

Problem: Claude/GPT API usage adds up

Solution:

• Use local models (free)

• Set usage limits

• Optimize prompts to use fewer tokens

• Monitor spending

The Future

Creator joined OpenAI: Peter Steinberger announced (Feb 14, 2026) moving to OpenAI

What this means:

• OpenClaw stays open-source

• Now run by independent foundation

• Community-driven development

• Uncertain long-term direction

Predictions: ✓ OpenAI might build competing product
✓ Community will keep developing
✓ More enterprise versions coming
✓ Security will improve

Should You Use OpenClaw?

Use it if:

✓ You're technical (comfortable with terminal)
✓ Want actual automation (not just chat)
✓ Value privacy (runs locally)
✓ Have time to set up properly
✓ Understand security risks

Skip it if:

✗ Not comfortable with command line
✗ Can't dedicate hardware
✗ Need enterprise security
✗ Want plug-and-play simplicity
✗ Concerned about risks

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OpenClaw free?

Software is free. You pay for AI model API (Claude/GPT ~$20/month).

Is it safe?

Powerful but risky. Requires careful setup. Read security guide.

Can non-developers use it?

Difficult. Requires terminal knowledge. Better for technical users.

What's the difference vs ChatGPT?

ChatGPT talks. OpenClaw DOES (emails, commands, automation).

Why so many name changes?

Clawdbot → Moltbot (Anthropic trademark issue) → OpenClaw (final).

Will it keep working?

Open-source, so yes. But creator left for OpenAI (uncertain future).

Can it access my bank accounts?

Only if you give it access. Don't recommend this.

Which AI model is best?

Claude (best reasoning) or GPT-4 (most capable). Avoid GPT-3.5.

Related Reading

• How to Install OpenClaw 2026: Step-by-Step Tutorial

• Is OpenClaw Safe? Security Guide 2026

• Best OpenClaw Prompts 2026: 60+ Commands

www.topfreeprompts.com

Access 80,000+ prompts including OpenClaw commands and automation workflows. Get better results from AI agents with proven templates.