What Is OpenClaw?
OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant framework that runs on your own machine and connects to the messaging apps you already use. WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and more. Instead of visiting a website to chat with AI, OpenClaw brings the AI to your existing conversations.
It went viral in late January 2026, climbing past 68,000 GitHub stars and landing coverage from The Verge, Forbes, CNET, and a Wikipedia page within days. But the project has been around longer than most people realize, having previously gone by the names Clawdbot and then Moltbot.
How OpenClaw Works
OpenClaw runs as a long-lived Node.js service on a server (your own machine, a VPS, or a managed platform like Molty AI). Once running, it does three things:
- Connects to messaging platforms via their APIs (WhatsApp Web, Telegram Bot API, Discord bot, etc.)
- Routes messages to an AI model of your choice (Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, local models via Ollama)
- Gives the AI access to tools like web search, web browsing, file management, and browser automation
The result is an AI assistant that lives in your chat apps and can actually do things, not just generate text. It can search the web, read pages, fill out forms, manage files, and run scheduled tasks.
Why OpenClaw Went Viral
Several factors came together:
- Privacy-first architecture: Everything runs locally or on your own server. No data goes to a third party beyond the AI model API calls.
- Multi-channel support: One assistant across WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, and more. Nothing else does this as seamlessly.
- Tool use: OpenClaw assistants can browse the web, run code, and interact with external services. They are agents, not chatbots.
- Open source: MIT license, fully auditable, no vendor lock-in.
- The rebranding drama: The Clawdbot to Moltbot to OpenClaw naming journey generated its own wave of press coverage and discussion.
OpenClaw vs ChatGPT
The comparison comes up constantly, so let's address it directly.
ChatGPT is a web application. You visit chat.openai.com, type a message, and get a response. It is polished, easy to use, and has a massive user base.
OpenClaw is infrastructure. It is software you deploy that turns your messaging apps into AI-powered interfaces. The AI model can be the same (you can use GPT through OpenClaw), but the delivery mechanism is fundamentally different.
Choose ChatGPT if you want a simple web chat with AI. Choose OpenClaw if you want an AI assistant embedded in WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord that runs on your own terms.
For a deeper comparison, see our full breakdown.
What Can You Build with OpenClaw?
Personal AI Assistant
The most common use case. Your own AI that lives in WhatsApp or Telegram, available 24/7:
- Morning news briefings delivered automatically
- Research assistant that searches the web on demand
- Writing help for emails and documents
- Schedule management and reminders
Community Bot
Deploy OpenClaw on a Discord server or Telegram group:
- Answer questions from community members
- Moderate conversations
- Run scheduled announcements
- Onboard new members
Customer Support
Connect OpenClaw to WhatsApp Business or a website chat:
- Handle first-line support questions instantly
- Route complex issues to human agents
- Maintain context across conversations
- Operate around the clock
Automation Hub
Use OpenClaw's scheduled tasks and browser automation:
- Daily data collection from websites
- Automated reporting delivered to Slack or Telegram
- Form filling and web scraping
- Multi-step workflows triggered by messages
How to Get Started with OpenClaw
Self-Hosted (Free)
If you want to run OpenClaw yourself:
- You need a server - a VPS ($5-10/month), a spare laptop, or a Mac Mini
- Install Node.js 20+
- Clone the OpenClaw repository and install dependencies
- Configure your AI model API key and messaging channels
- Start the service
The OpenClaw documentation at docs.openclaw.ai walks through each step. The community Discord is active and helpful for troubleshooting.
Managed via Molty AI
If you want OpenClaw without the server management:
- Sign up at Molty by Finna
- Connect your AI model (Claude or GPT)
- Link your messaging channels
- Start messaging
Molty AI handles the infrastructure, updates, security, and uptime. Each user gets a dedicated VM running OpenClaw. The trade-off is cost ($29/month) versus the effort of self-hosting.
OpenClaw's Model Support
OpenClaw is model-agnostic. Currently supported:
- Anthropic Claude (Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3 Opus, etc.)
- OpenAI GPT (GPT-4, GPT-4o, etc.)
- Local models via Ollama (Llama, Mistral, etc.)
You can switch models at any time without reconfiguring channels or tools. This flexibility means you are never locked into a single AI provider.
Security Considerations
OpenClaw is powerful, which means security matters. The assistant has access to tools that can browse the web, read files, and interact with services. A few things to keep in mind:
- Run OpenClaw on dedicated infrastructure, not on a machine with sensitive data
- Use the built-in permission system to restrict which tools are available
- Keep OpenClaw updated to get security patches
- Be cautious with community-contributed skills (plugins) from untrusted sources
The managed Molty AI platform handles these concerns with VM isolation, encrypted credentials, and Cloudflare Tunnel networking.
The Future of OpenClaw
OpenClaw is one of the fastest-growing open-source projects in the AI space. The community is building new channel integrations, tools, and skills at a rapid pace. As AI models become more capable, the framework that connects them to real-world messaging and actions becomes increasingly valuable.
Whether you self-host or use the managed Molty platform, OpenClaw gives you an AI assistant that actually lives where you communicate. That is a fundamentally different experience from visiting a website to chat.