What is Clawdbot?
Clawdbot (recently renamed Moltbot as of January 2026) is an open-source AI personal assistant that has taken the tech world by storm. Created by developer Peter Steinberger, best known for creating PSPDFKit, Clawdbot has gained cult following status among developers and early adopters.
Unlike typical AI chatbots that just respond to questions, Clawdbot is an agentic AI - it actually executes actions on your device and across your connected services.
What makes it different
Traditional AI assistants like ChatGPT or Claude work in a conversational loop: you ask, they answer. Clawdbot goes further by taking autonomous, multi-step actions on your behalf.
It runs locally
Your data stays on your device. Clawdbot doesn’t send your personal information to third-party servers. The AI processing uses APIs from providers like Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI, but your files, emails, and personal data remain under your control.
It remembers everything
Clawdbot maintains persistent memory across conversations. Tell it your preferences once, and it remembers. Mention your project deadlines, and it keeps track. This context accumulates over time, making the assistant increasingly useful.
It takes action
This is the breakthrough feature. Clawdbot can:
- Send emails and manage your calendar
- Run commands and process files on your computer
- Control smart home devices and IoT equipment
- Write and execute code for automation tasks
- Monitor and notify you about important events
- Take multi-step actions to complete complex tasks
It works where you already are
Clawdbot integrates with messaging platforms you already use: WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Signal, and others. Messages sync across channels, so you can start a conversation on Telegram and continue it on Discord.
Why it’s going viral
Several factors have contributed to Clawdbot’s rapid adoption:
Open source: The code is freely available, which builds trust and allows the community to verify security claims.
Privacy-first: Running locally means your data isn’t being harvested for training or advertising.
Actually useful: Unlike many AI tools that feel like demos, Clawdbot solves real problems by taking real actions.
Developer-friendly: The tool resonates with technical users who appreciate its power and configurability.
Silicon Valley developers are sharing setup guides, best practices, and memes. Many are running dedicated machines (commonly Mac Minis or cloud VPS instances) with Clawdbot connected to their email, calendar, and other services.
Who is it for?
Right now, Clawdbot is designed for developers and tinkerers, not average consumers. Setup requires:
- Comfort with command-line tools
- Understanding of API keys and configuration
- Security awareness (you’re granting significant access)
- Willingness to troubleshoot
If you’re technical and want an AI assistant that actually does things rather than just talks, Clawdbot is worth exploring.
How to try it
The simplest way to get started:
npm install -g clawdbot
clawd onboard
clawdThe onboarding process walks you through connecting AI providers and chat platforms.
For always-on operation, many users run Clawdbot on a dedicated VPS. This provides 24/7 availability, better security isolation, and access from anywhere. See our guide on self-hosting Clawdbot on a VPS for detailed setup instructions.
Security considerations
Clawdbot’s power comes with responsibility. You’re granting an AI agent access to your email, files, and connected services. Important precautions:
- Never expose the Clawdbot gateway to the public internet
- Use strong, randomly-generated authentication tokens
- Consider running on an isolated VPS rather than your main computer
- Use Tailscale or similar for secure remote access
- Regularly audit what actions Clawdbot is taking
The project takes security seriously, but the nature of an agentic AI means you need to understand what you’re deploying.
The future of AI assistants
Clawdbot represents a shift in how we interact with AI. Instead of asking for information, we’re delegating tasks. Instead of copy-pasting responses, the AI takes action directly.
Whether Clawdbot specifically becomes mainstream or inspires similar tools, this agentic approach to AI assistance is likely here to stay.
Ready to self-host Clawdbot? Deploy a VPS and follow our secure setup guide.