China’s Open-Source AI Agent OpenClaw Sparks Frenzy as Shenzhen’s Longgang Proposes RMB10 Million Subsidy Plan

OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent project founded by Austrian engineer Peter Steinberger in late 2025, allows users to run software on personal devices that can execute tasks autonomously. The project has rapidly gained traction on GitHub and is seen as a key building block for the next generation of AI agents, with an important role in advancing decentralization and privacy protection across the industry.

To preserve its neutrality and openness, the project formally established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation in the United States in July 2026. The move attracted investment and donation support from major companies including OpenAI, NVIDIA, Microsoft and Tencent, while the University of Michigan was the largest donor. OpenClaw now has 4.5 million weekly active users as industry players compete for influence over the next generation of AI agents.

OpenClaw began as an open-source AI agent framework capable of connecting models such as DeepSeek, MiniMax and Kimi with platforms including WeChat and Feishu. After China’s technology and crypto sectors promoted it as a “gateway to Web 4.0,” it rapidly evolved from a developer tool into a nationwide craze for “raising lobsters.” The boom has spread to cloud computing capacity, managed deployment services and dedicated AI hardware, while amplifying investment and cybersecurity risks.

On March 10, 2026, enthusiasm for OpenClaw-related stocks drove MiniMax’s Hong Kong-listed shares up more than 22% in a single day. On-site installation services were quoted at about RMB 500–1,000, while Kong Jianping’s iPollo held offline marketing events for AI boxes. PANews later cited TrustMRR as saying that 153 related projects generated $358,600 in revenue over the previous 30 days. The top 30 accounted for 97.3% of the total, with hosted deployment services contributing $120,100.