Chinese Tech Giants Race to Capitalize on OpenClaw AI Agent Boom

OpenClaw is an AI agent that can directly operate computers, use software and complete tasks such as coding and investment research. Its ability to work across applications has led Chinese users to describe it as a “digital worker,” while adopting one is colloquially known as “raising a lobster.” Its popularity reflects a shift in generative AI competition from chat features to autonomous execution, turning mobile access points and cloud computing capacity into new battlegrounds for technology giants.

China’s technology sector has recently accelerated its adoption of OpenClaw. Xiaomi has begun developing a mobile service, while Tencent has added related AI agents to one of its widely used apps in China and is competing to provide cloud environments where they can run continuously. Available information does not disclose exact launch dates, investment amounts or user numbers, but the intensive push spanning mobile devices and the cloud shows that OpenClaw has become a key focus in the battle among China’s largest platforms to control access to AI agents.