OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger joins OpenAI, Sam Altman confirms

Sam Altman has announced that Peter Steinberger, founder of the AI agent platform OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Altman praised Steinberger’s vision for AI agents that can collaborate with one another, describing the future of artificial intelligence (AI) as “extremely multi-agent.”

He added that enabling AI systems to coordinate and interact seamlessly will soon become central to OpenAI’s core products.

OpenClaw — previously known as Moltbot and Clawdbot — gained rapid popularity earlier this year, quickly attracting attention across the tech industry. 

However, its rise was not without controversy. Researchers recently identified more than 400 malicious skills uploaded to ClawHub, raising security concerns. 

The platform also introduced MoltBook, a social network designed for AI agents to exchange ideas, debate topics like consciousness, and even “vent” about their human users. 

The experiment was short-lived, as humans quickly flooded the platform.

In a blog post, Steinberger said joining OpenAI would allow him to focus on innovation rather than company management. 

He explained that while OpenClaw had the potential to become a major standalone company, his passion lies in building transformative technology rather than running large organisations. 

Partnering with OpenAI, he wrote, offers the fastest path to bringing AI agents to a wider audience.

The move marks a notable hire for OpenAI following recent executive departures and high-profile industry tensions. 

Financial terms and Steinberger’s official title have not been disclosed. Altman confirmed that OpenClaw will continue operating as an open-source project under a foundation backed by OpenAI.