Clawdbot is now Moltbot. The open-source AI agent was renamed after Anthropic cited trademark concerns regarding its similarity to their Claude models.
The viral personal AI assistant formerly known as Clawdbot has officially rebranded to Moltbot as of January 27, 2026. The change comes after creator Peter Steinberger received a polite request from Anthropic due to trademark concerns regarding their Claude models.
Why It Went Viral
Unlike standard chatbots, Moltbot (formerly Clawdbot) is a personal AI agent that runs locally on your device with nearly unlimited permissions. It can control your mouse, keyboard, and browser, autonomously performing complex tasks like booking reservations or managing emails across platforms like Discord, Slack, and WhatsApp.
Zero Guardrails: The project is celebrated (and feared) for having almost no safety filters, allowing it to act like a human employee.
The ‘Soul’ File: While 99.99999% open-source, Steinberger retained a mysterious file named "soul" (0.00001% of the code) as a "security target" for hackers.
The Mac Mini Phenomenon
The agent’s heavy reliance on local processing has inadvertently spiked sales for Apple’s Mac Mini. Tech enthusiasts are buying the hardware specifically to run dedicated, always-on instances of Moltbot, turning the compact computer into a ‘physical body’ for their AI employee.
Security Risks
The tool’s power is also its danger. With full shell access and no traditional guardrails, running Moltbot on a primary machine is described by Steinberger as "spicy." Security experts warn that a compromised agent could delete files or be socially engineered, leading most users to sandbox the AI in isolated environments.
From Clawd to Molty
The project’s mascot, a space lobster named Clawd, is now Molty. The website references the change with a Doctor Who nod: "Exfoliate! Exfoliate!" Despite the name change, the GitHub repository remains a hotbed of activity, with developers submitting "Vibe Coding" PRs—code largely written by AI itself.
Key Stats:
Creator: Peter Steinberger
Architecture: Local-first, supports models like Claude (via API) and local LLMs.
Status: Viral open-source project, currently driving hardware trends in Silicon Valley.
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