By Eduardo Baptista
March 9 - Shenzhen's Longgang district has announced measures to build an industry around OpenClaw, a fast-spreading AI agent in China, underscoring its rapid adoption even as regulators warn of security risks linked to the tool's access to personal data.
OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger that goes beyond standard chatbots, from booking flights to organising email, enabling "one-person companies" with the right permissions.
The
tool has surged in popularity since appearing on GitHub in November, especially in China, where new technologies are often adopted faster than many other countries.
Chinese tech giant Tencent hosted a free OpenClaw setup session in Shenzhen on Friday that drew a large crowd, ranging from children to retirees.
OpenClaw can be plugged into models from OpenAI, Anthropic and Chinese developers including Kimi and MiniMax.
SECURITY CONCERNS OVER OPENCLAW FLAGGED
Longgang, which set up China's first AI and robotics bureau last year, released draft measures on Saturday to build an OpenClaw-centred AI ecosystem and support "one-person companies."
It cited a recent central government report that supported future industries such as embodied intelligence and humanoid robots.
High-tech industries, a priority for Beijing amid rivalry with the United States, were highlighted at the ongoing National People's Congress, where several lawmakers have pointed to OpenClaw's rapid rise.
But regulators and state media have also flagged security concerns linked to OpenClaw over the past month, underscoring Beijing's long-standing concern over cyber risks and data breaches. China has tightened data-privacy and export-control rules since 2021.
SUBSIDIES FOR 'ONE-PERSON COMPANIES'
Longgang's draft measures, open for public comment until April 6, were presented as part of an "AI plus" action plan to integrate the technology across the economy, in line with national planning priorities through 2030.
The package includes subsidies and financing up to 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) for companies that build notable OpenClaw applications, free computing resources, accommodation and discounted office space for "one-person companies" based in the district.
A research center under Shenzhen's municipal health commission last week ran an OpenClaw training session attended by thousands, as part of its "AI plus" strategy.
Longgang also said on Sunday it was recruiting 100 beta users for its "Xuanji" smart storage device, which comes preloaded with OpenClaw. It is marketed as keeping data on a user's network rather than the cloud to boost privacy and cut computing costs.
(Reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
