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You’ve probably already heard all about OpenClaw (formerly Clawdbot/Moltbot). The viral sensation is an open-source AI assistant that runs on your own device, connects with messaging apps you already use, and goes beyond chat to actually execute tasks like managing your email, calendars, files, workflows, and more. Now meet the man behind it. YC’s Raphael Schaad sat down with Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, to discuss the “aha” moment behind the viral personal AI agent, why local-first agents could replace many of today’s apps, and how personal agents will reshape the future of software.
Chapters: 00:00 – OpenClaw takes over the internet 00:44 – Life after going viral 01:28 – Why OpenClaw took off, what sets it apart 02:56 – Bots talking to bots (and hiring humans) 04:11 – From “God AI” to swarm intelligence 05:07 – Peter’s original “aha” moment 06:38 – Rebuilding the agent as a conversation 07:38 – The moment it exceeded expectations 10:21 – Are apps going to disappear? 12:31 – Memory, data silos, and ownership 14:39 – The privacy reality of personal agents 15:05 – Letting the bot loose in public Discord 16:55 – Giving an agent a personality 18:19 – Contrarian building philosophy 20:09 – CLIs vs MCPs 21:28 – Building for humans first 21:46 – The road ahead
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