OpenClaw (247K Stars, Peter Steinberger)
canonicalOrigin: Peter Steinberger, November 2025 (Clawdbot) → renamed Moltbot (Jan 27) → OpenClaw (Jan 30) → Jan–Feb 2026
Open-source agentic AI assistant serving as an interface to LLMs through messaging apps. Developed by Austrian vibe coder Peter Steinberger. Trademark battle: Anthropic forced 'Clawdbot' rename → became 'Moltbot' → then 'OpenClaw.' 247K GitHub stars, 47K forks as of March 2, 2026. MIT Technology Review covered China 'gold rush' around it. CNBC covered Chinese mass adoption. Sam Altman praised it publicly; Steinberger joined OpenAI Feb 15, 2026.
Usage
The defining 'vibe-coded viral product' story of early 2026. Reference for: what extreme agentic coding velocity looks like (6,600+ commits/month), how trademark battles play out in AI tools, how viral open-source translates to job offers.
Mutations & variants
'The Steinberger arc' — vibe coder → viral product → OpenAI hire
'Clawdbot → Moltbot → OpenClaw' trademark battle as a story beat
Cross-platform escapes
- MIT Technology Review: China gold rush coverage
- CNBC: Chinese mass adoption
- Wikipedia: OpenClaw entry exists
- Sam Altman public praise on X
Shelf life: Canonical — the story is complete; it will be cited for years
IMPORTANT: There are two 'OpenClaw' entities. The Steinberger OpenClaw (github.com/openclaw/openclaw) is the public viral tool. The OpenClaw in this workspace (Seva's tool) is a separate private platform. When referencing OpenClaw in public writing, specify 'Peter Steinberger's OpenClaw' for clarity.