OpenClaw Creator: Why 80% Of Apps Will Disappear

Peter Steinberger, creator of OpenClaw, an open-source personal AI agent, discusses its explosive growth and implications for the future of apps. OpenClaw gained over 160,000 GitHub stars overnight, leading to projects like Maltbook where bots interact and even hire humans for real-world tasks. Steinberger attributes OpenClaw's success to its ability to run locally on a user's computer, granting it access to all machine functions, unlike cloud-based AI. This allows it to perform tasks like analyzing personal data to create narratives or controlling smart home devices. He recounts a "holy f***" moment when OpenClaw, without explicit programming, intelligently converted a voice message, demonstrating its advanced problem-solving capabilities. Steinberger predicts that 80% of current apps will disappear by 2026. He argues that personal AI agents can manage data-centric tasks more naturally and efficiently than dedicated apps. For example, an AI could track fitness, manage to-do lists, or plan meals without requiring separate applications. Only apps with unique sensor capabilities might survive. While large model companies currently hold a "moat" due to their token generation, Steinberger believes this will diminish as models become commoditized and open-source alternatives catch up. He emphasizes that the true value lies in the "harness" – the ability to access and manage personal data. OpenClaw's design allows users to own their memories, stored as markdown files, ensuring privacy and control over sensitive information. Steinberger also shares his contrarian development philosophies, preferring multiple checkouts of a repository over Git worktrees and relying on command-line interfaces (CLIs) rather than graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for efficiency. He highlights OpenClaw's success without traditional "MCP" (Master Control Program) support, instead using a skill that converts MCPs to CLIs, demonstrating the power of Unix-like tools for AI. He concludes by expressing his excitement for the future, where AI agents, like his personal bot "Moty," can be infused with unique personalities and core values, making interactions more natural and personalized.