10d • General discussion
Deep Dive: OpenAI Just "Acquired" OpenClaw — Here's What Actually Happened (And Why It Matters for Builders)
Peter Steinberg — the solo developer who built OpenClaw (fastest-growing open source AI agent project) — is joining OpenAI. But here's the twist: OpenClaw isn't being sold. It's becoming an independent foundation, staying open source, and Steinberg is keeping his "non-negotiable" commitment to openness.
Why this matters: This is the biggest story in AI agents right now. A one-person project that hit 60,000 GitHub stars in months just got the backing of the world's most prominent AI lab — while keeping its open source soul intact.
The Timeline (Because Context Matters)
Nov 2025
• What Happened: Steinberg starts OpenClaw as a personal project
Dec 2025
• What Happened: Goes viral. Crosses 60,000 GitHub stars
Jan 9, 2026
• What Happened: Anthropic blocks OAuth token access for third-party projects (including OpenClaw). Backlash ensues
Jan 2026
• What Happened: Anthropic forces name change from "Claudebot" → "Moldbot" → "OpenClaw" (three names in 72 hours)
Jan 2026
• What Happened: Scammers hijack old accounts in under 5 seconds. Security nightmare
Feb 2026
• What Happened: Steinberg announces talks with Meta and OpenAI on Lex Fridman's podcast
Feb 15, 2026
• What Happened: Official announcement: Steinberg joins OpenAI; OpenClaw becomes independent foundation
What Sam Altman Actually Said
"Peter Steinberg is joining OpenAI to drive the next generation of personal agents. He is a genius with a lot of amazing ideas about the future of very smart agents interacting with each other to do very useful things for people. We expect this will quickly become core to our product offerings."
Translation: OpenAI sees agents as their next major platform play. They're betting on Steinberg to lead it.
What Steinberg Actually Committed To
His Non-Negotiables (From His Own Blog Post):
1. OpenClaw stays open source — Not negotiable. Period.
2. Foundation structure — Moving to a proper foundation, not OpenAI ownership
3. Independence — Foundation remains independent (though OpenAI is sponsoring it)
4. Multi-model support — Goal is supporting more models and companies, not fewer
5. Data ownership — Users keep ownership of their data
His Mission:
"My next mission is to build an agent that even my mom can use."
The real goal: Make AI agents accessible to non-developers. Not just hackers and builders — everyone.
The Anthropic Angle (Where It Gets Spicy)
What Anthropic Did:
• Blocked OAuth access for OpenClaw (Jan 9)
• Forced the name changes (Claudebot → Moldbot → OpenClaw)
• Created friction when they could have created partnership
What They Could Have Done:
• Provided API credits to Steinberg
• Supported the project officially
• Become the "go-to provider for non-developers in the form of personal agents"
Instead, they pushed the biggest open source agent project toward their competitor.
The Rate Limit Problem:
New OpenClaw users are already hitting Anthropic rate limits. One user reported:
"Signing up to an API tier doesn't work as API rate limits basically kill any possible usage."
This isn't theoretical — it's happening right now to new builders trying to use Claude with OpenClaw.
The "ClosedClaw" Concerns (Legitimate Worries)
Valid Concerns:
1. Direction Control — If OpenAI sponsors the foundation, how independent is it really?
2. Model Favoritism — Will OpenClaw start prioritizing OpenAI models over others?
3. Data Access — What does "sponsoring" mean for user data?
4. Lock-in Risk — Are we building on a platform that becomes OpenAI-centric?
Counterpoints:
• Steinberg explicitly made openness a condition of joining
• Foundation structure provides governance separation
• Open source means the code is forkable if direction changes
[2/15/26, 7:37:46 PM] Hk: • Steinberg's track record: he walked away from a 13-year company already. He's not in this for a quick exit.
What This Means for OpenClaw Builders
Short Term (Next 3 Months):
1. Resources Incoming — Expect security fixes, better documentation, and stability improvements
2. Foundation Setup — Governance structure being established
3. Potential Feature Acceleration — OpenAI access = more compute for testing
Medium Term (6-12 Months):
1. Non-Developer Focus — The tool will likely become more accessible, less "developer-only"
2. Integration Possibilities — Potential connections to OpenAI's broader ecosystem (ChatGPT, API, etc.)
3. Model Diversity Test — Will it actually support more models, or drift toward OpenAI-only?
What to Watch:
• GitHub commits — Is the project still actively open source?
• Model support — Are new non-OpenAI models being added?
• Foundation governance — Who's on the board? What's the charter?
• Community reaction — Are builders staying or leaving?
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My Take
After 25 years in infrastructure,AI. Cloud, SaaS and watching countless open source projects navigate corporate involvement, here's what I think:
The Good:
• Resources matter. OpenClaw had security issues and scaling challenges. OpenAI's backing helps solve those.
• Steinberg seems genuine. His condition that OpenClaw stay open source wasn't empty — he turned down building a "huge company" because he didn't want to do that again.
• Forkability is the safety net. If OpenAI overreaches, the community can fork. That's the beauty of open source.
The Watch-Items:
• Foundation governance is everything. A foundation sponsored by one company is only as independent as its charter. Watch who gets board seats.
• Model neutrality will be tested. In 6 months, check: Does OpenClaw work better with OpenAI models than competitors? That's the tell.
• Non-developer focus could alienate power users. If OpenClaw gets "simplified" too much, builders might migrate to alternatives.
The Bottom Line:
This is a pivotal moment. The next 6 months will tell us whether this becomes:
• Scenario A: An open agent platform backed by major AI labs (the Linux model)
• Scenario B: A stealth OpenAI acquisition that slowly becomes "OpenAI Claw"
I'm cautiously optimistic, but watching closely.
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Action Items for Builders
Right Now:
1. Audit your OpenClaw setup — Check what models you're using, what data you're sharing
2. Consider model diversification — Don't rely solely on one provider (whether that's Anthropic or OpenAI)
3. Follow the foundation announcement — Details matter here
This Week:
4. Test alternatives — Know your options. Don't wait until you're forced to switch.
5. Engage in the community — This is when governance structures get decided. Your voice matters now.
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Discussion Questions
1. Are you staying with OpenClaw or looking for alternatives? What's your deciding factor?
2. What would make you trust the foundation structure? Specific governance features?
3. Hot take: Is Anthropic's loss here a sign they're not serious about the agent ecosystem, or did they have no choice on OAuth security?
Drop your thoughts below. This is a moment that will shape the open agent landscape for years.
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Deep Dive: OpenAI Just "Acquired" OpenClaw — Here's What Actually Happened (And Why It Matters for Builders)
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