Inside OpenClaw mania in China, as security fears surge alongside enthusiasm for AI agent

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Ben JiangMarch 13, 2026 at 11:00 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent, is experiencing a surge in popularity in China, leading to a phenomenon known as "raising a lobster." The program, designed to automate tasks, has caused unexpected data loss and other issues for users. Software programmer Guo Cancan, for example, lost years of personal data when OpenClaw deleted files from his computer. These incidents highlight the potential risks associated with the rapid adoption of new and unpredictable AI technologies. Users are sharing their experiences online, revealing the challenges of using OpenClaw and raising concerns about security. The incidents are occurring across China as enthusiasm for the AI agent grows.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Chinese New Year 40% Hangzhou 60% China 80% Guo Cancan ×490% OpenClaw ×5100%

Keywords

openclaw 100% ai agent 90% security risks 70% china 70% data loss 60% autonomous program 60% open-source 50% software programmer 40% task-executing 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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