By Eduardo Baptista
March 9 (Reuters) – Local governments in several Chinese tech and manufacturing hubs have announced measures to build an industry around OpenClaw, seeing rapid adoption of AI agents even as regulators warn of security risks linked to its access to personal data.
OpenClaw is an open source AI assistant created by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger. It can perform tasks such as booking flights and organizing mail, effectively allowing one individual to do the work of several people and creating what is known locally as a “one-person company”.
After its release in November, the tool became the fastest-growing project in the history of GitHub, the world’s most widely adopted AI-powered developer platform. US AI pioneer OpenAI hired Steinberger last month to develop the next generation of AI agents.
OpenClaw was launched specifically in China, where new technologies are being adopted quickly. Tech giant Tencent hosted an OpenClaw setup event in the southern city of Shenzhen last week that attracted kids and retirees as well as developers.
Security concerns have been raised regarding the Open Act
Shenzhen’s Longgang district, which last year established China’s first AI and robotics bureau, released draft measures on Saturday to build an OpenClaw-centered AI ecosystem and support “one-person companies.” It cited a recent central government report supporting future industries such as humanoid robots.
The high-tech development zones in Wuxi and Hefei in the east of the country, along with the manufacturing hub city in the east of Suzhou, have all issued similar draft measures regarding OpenClaw in recent days.
The growing popularity of OpenClaw and “one-person companies” has been highlighted at the ongoing National People’s Congress (NPC).
Zhang Xiaohong, a member of the NPC delegation from Jiangsu province and Communist Party secretary of Sochi University, told Reuters that on-campus initiatives such as competitions to see which student can build the best “one-person company” are improving practical AI skills.
But regulators and state media have also flagged security concerns surrounding the agent, underscoring Beijing’s longstanding unease about cyber risks and data breaches.
Wuxi’s measures indicate that cloud platforms that provide OpenClaw should prohibit access to sensitive data directories and explore the establishment of an AI Compliance Service Center to focus on cross-border data transfer and IP protection issues.
Subsidies for ‘One Person Companies’
