'He is a genius with a lot of amazing ideas about the future': Sam Altman says OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger is joining OpenAI

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OpenClaw founder poached by OpenAI

Open AI CEO Sam Altman speaks during a talk session with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at an event titled "Transforming Business through AI" in Tokyo, Japan, on February 03, 2025. SoftBank and OpenAI announced that they have agreed a partnership to set up a joint venture for artificial intelligence services in Japan today.
(Image credit: Getty Images / Tomohiro Ohsumi / Stringer)
  • OpenAI doubles down on its commitment to building personal AI agents
  • The ChatGPT-maker has hired OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger
  • OpenClaw lives on as an "open and independent" platform

OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger is set to join OpenAI as the ChatGPT maker sets to focus on "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," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed in an X post.

OpenAI expects personal, multi-agent systems to become core to its upcoming product offerings as it looks to integrate AI with the more human elements of our lives.

OpenAI hires OpenClaw's founder

OpenClaw, formerly known as MoltBot and Clawdbot, is marketed as "the AI that actually does things," and is capable of managing calendars, booking flights, replying to emails and even automating tasks across third-party services.

The platform has also gained viral popularity in recent weeks on social media websites like TikTok, with users showing themselves setting up entire dedicated devices to run the AI agent locally.

"OpenClaw will live in a foundation as an open source project that OpenAI will continue to support," Altman said, despite the company's acquisition of OpenClaw's founder. Steinberger said that OpenClaw will remain "open and independent."

Steinberger said in a blog post that he's excited to "be part of the frontier of AI research and development" with OpenAI. "What I want is to change the world, not build a large company and teaming up with OpenAI is the fastest way to bring this to everyone," he added.

Peter Steinberger's official title and responsibilities have not been confirmed.

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Craig Hale
Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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