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If the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 marks the beginning of mainstream conversational AI, OpenClaw This year’s viral debut may mark an inflection point for independent agents. It makes sense, then, that Peter Steinberger, founder of OpenClaw, would join ChatGPT maker OpenAI in a deal that ensures the open source AI assistant remains independent.
It’s a partnership that could define the year and perhaps the next phase of artificial intelligence.
Steinberger Publishing On X on Sunday he will join OpenAI to focus on bringing AI agents to a broad audience. At the same time, he said the OpenClaw project will pivot, remaining open and independent rather than a traditional startup.
The move comes after weeks of mounting speculation around one of the most talked-about AI projects of 2026 so far. Steinberger alluded to his thinking during a recent appearance on CNN Lex Friedman PodcastHe revealed that investors were keen to fund OpenClaw as an independent company. He suggested that partnering with a large AI lab — such as OpenAI or Meta — could provide a faster path to global scale, provided the project’s open source roots are maintained.
Ultimately, this led to Steinberger joining OpenAI.
“Yes, I can totally see how OpenClaw could become a huge company. And no, that’s not really exciting to me.” Steinberger wrote in a recent blog post. “What I want is to change the world, not build a big company, and collaborating with OpenAI is the fastest way to make that happen for everyone.”
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of CNET, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging that it infringed Ziff Davis’s copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
What’s the deal with OpenClaw?
OpenClaw, formerly known as Clawdbot and Moltbot, has rapidly evolved from a niche experiment into a cultural and technical phenomenon. As I reported earlier this monthIts appeal lies in its independence and independence. Unlike many AI tools that require prompts and supervision, OpenClaw can be configured to go through tasks for you, learning preferences over time and proactively suggesting actions.
One of its defining achievements is that it is surprisingly easy to use. You can just send a message to OpenClaw via platforms like iMessage, WhatsApp, or Slack, and have it perform tasks even when you’re away from your computers. This frictionless interface has made the idea of a “personal agent” feel more tangible than ever before.
Read also: When AI bots form their own social network: Inside Moltbook’s wild beginning
What does OpenAI gain from this alliance?
The timing of Steinberger’s move is notable. Systems of anthropy, incl Claude Code and Claude Coworkhas also gained traction in the proxy space. (It’s worth noting that Steinberger joined OpenAI when its super assistant was designed to run on Anthropic’s Claude API.) These tools are changing how developers write software and how teams collaborate. But OpenClaw captured a different kind of momentum, fueled by its open source and promise of complete personal autonomy.
OpenAI leadership has indicated strong support for the partnership. CEO Sam Altman, President Greg Brockman Many other leaders at the company celebrated the news publicly on social media. Their enthusiasm underscores how central agents have become to OpenAI’s strategy this year and beyond.
For OpenAI, the alliance provides credibility in the open source community and a foothold in a fast-moving community Personal agent space. For Steinberger, it provides access to top-rated models, infrastructure and distribution at a time when demand for proxy systems is growing.
However, the broader significance goes beyond a single partnership. Personal agents move quickly from novelty to necessity and expectation. After years of chat-based AI, many people increasingly want systems that can act, not just respond to prompts. They want software that schedules meetings, books trips, coordinates workflow, and anticipates needs without oversight.
By pairing the mind behind a rapidly expanding, open-source project with the resources and budget of one of the world’s leading AI companies, Steinberger and OpenAI are making a clear bet together: this is the year of the personal agent, and the race to define it is just beginning.