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Peter Steinberger, creator of the viral AI agent OpenClaw, has joined OpenAI to work on personal AI agents. OpenClaw gained global attention for moving beyond chatbots to agentic AI systems that can take actions like browsing, messaging and managing workflows.
AI agents became one of the biggest tech trends in recent months. At the centre of this wave was Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, a viral AI agent project that quickly gained global attention.
Now, Steinberger has joined OpenAI to work on personal AI agents.
OpenClaw is an AI agent system designed to operate across digital tools, similar to how a human uses a computer. Instead of just answering questions like a chatbot, it can take actions searching, sending messages, organising information and managing workflows.
According to Steinberger in interviews, OpenClaw started as an experimental project. He said he did not begin with a clear business plan.
“I just experimented a lot. My mission was to have fun and inspire people,” he explained in a developer podcast conversation.
The turning point came when he used the tool during a weekend trip in Marrakesh. With limited internet access, the WhatsApp-based integration worked smoothly, allowing him to search restaurants, message friends and manage tasks.
Users online quickly noticed its capabilities. Videos and demonstrations spread across X and developer forums, and OpenClaw became widely discussed in the AI community.
The project reflected a broader shift in AI from chatbots to “agentic AI”, systems that perform actions independently.
He is a software engineer and entrepreneur known for building developer tools. Before OpenClaw, he had already founded and worked on multiple software projects.
In interviews, he describes himself as “a builder at heart”. He previously spent over a decade running a company, and has spoken openly about not wanting to repeat the traditional startup path again.
“I don’t want to build another company. I want to change how people use AI,” he wrote in a blog post announcing his move to OpenAI.
Steinberger has not publicly disclosed his net worth. However, he is known in the developer ecosystem for building widely used tools before his AI work.
His approach to AI development focuses on experimentation rather than perfection. He often advises developers to be playful and allow themselves time to improve.
“You’re not going to be good at guitar on the first day,” he said, comparing AI-assisted coding to learning a musical instrument.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that Steinberger would join the company to work on personal AI agents.
The move comes as AI companies compete to build systems that go beyond chat tools that can plan, coordinate and execute tasks.
Agentic AI is becoming a priority area across the industry. Companies such as Anthropic and Google are also investing heavily in AI systems that can operate software autonomously.
Steinberger said OpenClaw will move to a foundation model and remain open and independent, while he works at OpenAI to bring agents “to everyone”.
He added that building agents that ordinary users including his own family can use safely will require access to frontier AI models and strong safety systems.
The rise of OpenClaw shows how quickly experimental AI projects can gain traction. It also reflects a wider change in how AI is being used.
Traditional chatbots generate text. Agentic AI systems can:
Run commands
Use web browsers
Manage files
Interact with apps
Coordinate tasks across tools
Industry analysts say this shift could reshape productivity software, enterprise workflows and digital labour.
Steinberger believes the future belongs to builders who combine creativity with AI tools.
“If your identity is: I want to create things and solve problems, you will be in more demand than ever,” he said.
Peter Steinberger’s journey from an experimental AI project to OpenAI highlights how fast the AI ecosystem is evolving.
OpenClaw’s viral moment came not from marketing, but from developers sharing what they built. His move to OpenAI signals that large AI labs are taking agentic systems seriously.
As AI shifts from answering questions to taking action, figures like Steinberger may play a key role in shaping how people interact with intelligent systems in daily life.
For readers following AI innovation, his story reflects a simple idea: experimentation, combined with strong technical foundations, can lead to global impact.
Abhinav is a versatile and adaptive journalist who covers defence, space, and technology for WION. He specialises in breaking down complex subjects into clear, engaging stories tha…Read More
