OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger joins OpenAI as personal-agent project moves to foundation

Summary

Peter Steinberger, creator of the open-source AI assistant OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI to work on next-generation personal AI agents. The OpenClaw project will continue as an open-source initiative under a foundation structure, reflecting growing momentum around autonomous digital assistants.

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 16 — Peter Steinberger, founder of the open-source AI assistant project OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI, marking a notable development in the rapidly evolving market for personal AI agents.

In a statement, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said Steinberger will contribute to work on software agents designed to autonomously perform tasks such as managing communications, coordinating services and executing routine workflows.

OpenClaw to remain open source

OpenClaw will transition into a foundation-led governance structure while continuing as an open-source project, according to the announcement.

The assistant has gained attention for features aimed at automating everyday digital tasks, including email management, service interactions and administrative workflows — use cases increasingly associated with the emerging “AI agent” category.

Steinberger said maintaining the project’s open-source nature was a priority, adding that the new structure is intended to support broader collaboration and long-term development.

Rapid adoption highlights interest in agentic AI

Since its release, OpenClaw has seen strong uptake among developers, reflecting growing demand for software capable of performing multi-step tasks rather than simply responding to prompts.

The rise of such tools has also drawn scrutiny from regulators and cybersecurity experts, who warn that autonomous systems handling sensitive information may introduce new operational and privacy risks if not properly configured.

Why this matters

The move underscores intensifying competition among AI companies to build “agentic” systems that go beyond conversational interfaces.

• For developers: closer collaboration between open-source projects and major AI labs could accelerate innovation
• For enterprises: autonomous agents may reshape productivity software and workflow automation
• For investors: the hiring signals that talent and ecosystems are becoming as strategically important as model performance

As the industry shifts toward AI systems capable of executing tasks, the boundary between platforms and applications is likely to blur.

FAQs

Q1: Who is Peter Steinberger?

He is the creator of OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant project focused on task automation.

Q2: What is OpenClaw?

An AI agent designed to automate digital tasks such as communications, scheduling and service interactions.

Q3: Why is he joining OpenAI?

To contribute to the development of next-generation personal AI agents.

Q4: Will OpenClaw remain open source?

Yes. The project will continue under a foundation governance model.

Q5: Are there risks associated with AI agents?

Yes. Experts say autonomous systems may pose privacy and security risks if safeguards are insufficient.

Q6: What does this mean for the AI industry?

It highlights growing focus on agentic AI as the next major phase beyond chatbots.