China Issues Caution as AI Technology Capable of Operating Computers Independently Faces Restrictions
Amid enthusiasm for artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the Chinese government has taken a cautious approach towards one of the most popular AI technologies, known as OpenClaw.
In recent days, numerous government agencies and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in China have been reported to be warning their employees against installing the OpenClaw application on work devices.
This step has been taken because Chinese regulators are concerned that the technology could potentially cause security problems, such as data breaches, unintentional data deletion, and misuse of user information.
OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent, a type of artificial intelligence system that can work independently to perform various digital tasks.
Unlike conventional generative AI chatbots that simply answer questions, OpenClaw can function as a digital assistant capable of taking direct action on a user’s computer or server.
Due to its capabilities, OpenClaw can work as a “digital assistant” performing tasks on a user’s computer around the clock for 24 hours.
The technology was first released on GitHub in November 2025 under the name Clawdbot.
As it developed, the project changed its name to Moltbot on 27 January 2026, before finally adopting the name OpenClaw on 30 January 2026.
Since its release, OpenClaw has quickly attracted the attention of the global technology community due to its ability to perform various automated tasks with minimal human intervention.
In China, the technology was initially welcomed enthusiastically by many parties. Technology companies, AI startups, and local governments in technology-centred cities such as Shenzhen promoted experiments with OpenClaw.
Several local governments even offered subsidies worth millions of yuan for companies developing applications based on this technology.
This policy forms part of the national “AI Plus” programme, which is the Chinese government’s strategy to accelerate the adoption of AI technology across various industrial and economic sectors.
However, amid this enthusiasm, central regulators in Beijing have begun warning of the potential security risks posed by this technology.