AI agent 'Lobster Fever' grips China despite risks

Chinese entrepreneur Frank Gao used to spend long hours managing his social media accounts, but now he outsources the task to an AI agent tool called OpenClaw. The tool, which has taken China by storm despite official warnings over cybersecurity, is quickly becoming a sensation in tech circles.

OpenClaw, created in November by Austrian coder Peter Steinberger, differs from bots like ChatGPT because it can execute real-life tasks such as sending emails, organising files, or even booking flight tickets. Gao, who refers to OpenClaw’s red crustacean mascot as “the lobster,” has been spending hours each day since January using the tool. “We’re family,” he told AFP, reflecting the personal connection many users feel with their AI assistants.

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Once users download OpenClaw, they connect it to existing artificial intelligence models of their choice and give it simple instructions via instant messaging apps, just as if communicating with a friend or colleague. The tool has captivated tech-savvy companies and individuals in China, where the demand for the latest advancements in AI technology is high.

This fascination with OpenClaw has sparked a wave of interest, with hundreds of people attending events at tech giant Baidu’s Beijing headquarters. Engineers at these events help attendees set up their “little lobsters,” and similar meetups are drawing crowds in cities from Shanghai to Shenzhen. Municipalities, including Wuxi and Hangzhou, have pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the adoption and development of OpenClaw and other AI agents.

However, the "lobster fever," as it is called, has also raised concerns over security risks. Gao himself warned that agents like OpenClaw could be dangerous if they gain access to users’ digital keys. "Once they have your digital keys, they can theoretically access all the services you’ve authorised and can autonomously decide when to activate them," he said. "The attacker effectively gains a 'master key' to your digital identity."

Chinese cybersecurity authorities and the Ministry of Industry and IT have issued warnings about the potential risks of OpenClaw hacks. “Use intelligent agents such as ‘lobster’ with caution,” advised national IT research expert Wei Liang, addressing government agencies, public institutions, companies, and individuals. Zhang Yi, founder of the tech consultancy iiMedia, noted that the government's approach of rolling out policy incentives while issuing warnings reflects its "cautious tolerance" towards the growing trend.

OpenClaw’s creator, Peter Steinberger, who initially built the tool to help organise his own digital life, was hired last month by ChatGPT maker OpenAI. A separate team of coders behind Moltbook, a Reddit-like pseudo-social network where OpenClaw agents converse, has been recruited by Meta.

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Top Chinese tech companies, including Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance, and Baidu, have also jumped on the bandwagon, offering simplified installation and affordable coding plans to help users host OpenClaw agents on cloud servers. Cloud deployment is seen as safer than downloading the tool directly onto a personal computer. The low cost of deploying OpenClaw in China, subsidised by these big tech firms, is one reason behind its popularity. Gao Rui, a senior product manager at Baidu AI Cloud, explained, "For most people, it’s likely just the price of a cup of coffee... which is why people will probably be keen to give it a try."

Fear of missing out (FOMO) has been a significant driver of OpenClaw’s success in China. Chen Yunfei, an AI developer who created a popular online guide for using the tool, said, “Most Chinese people are quite studious and forward-looking, so when confronted with new things, they might have stronger feelings of FOMO.”

The tool’s arrival has also come at a time when AI in China is perceived differently. Xie Manrui, a programmer working on a system for managing OpenClaw agents, noted that many in China used to view AI as “a clever chatbot that talks all the time but cannot act.” Now, OpenClaw has shifted those perceptions by demonstrating AI's ability to perform practical tasks.

At a Baidu event in Beijing, 24-year-old college student Zheng Huimin expressed her curiosity about the tool. "I'd like to give it a go to see what tasks it can actually help me accomplish," she told AFP, echoing the growing excitement among young users eager to experience the potential of AI agents firsthand.