The project behind the fastest-growing open-source AI agent in history has announced its permanent identity as OpenClaw, concluding a rapid rebranding cycle that saw the tool transition from Clawdbot to Moltbot before settling on its final name. This development matters because it represents the stabilization of a viral open-source project that has redefined local AI automation, ensuring its future growth without legal complications that could hinder adoption by developers and corporations.
The path to OpenClaw involved three names in 72 hours, beginning with the original Clawd name launched in late 2025. Following a trademark concern from Anthropic regarding similarities to their Claude product, the team pivoted immediately to respect intellectual property boundaries. The subsequent name, Moltbot, chosen during a community brainstorm on January 27, 2026, proved problematic as it led to domain squatting and fraudulent cryptocurrency tokens attempting to capitalize on the confusion.
"In biology, 'molting' is a transitional phase—a vulnerable process of shedding a shell to allow for growth. Moltbot was exactly that: a necessary transition state," said the OpenClaw team. "But one does not stay in the molting phase forever. You molt to emerge stronger, harder, and more capable. OpenClaw represents that final, hardened form." The new name combines "Open" to reflect the project's open-source mission with "Claw" to honor its roots, creating what the team describes as a clear, legally sound identity.
For the broader AI industry, this resolution of identity issues allows OpenClaw to focus on its technical roadmap without distraction. The project, which sparked a surge in Mac Mini purchases as enthusiasts built dedicated "home labs" for their agents, aims to democratize local AI automation by allowing developers to run powerful, self-improving agents on consumer hardware without relying on gated cloud APIs. This has significant implications for AI accessibility and decentralization, potentially reducing dependency on major cloud providers.
The rebranding process was driven by both community feedback and global compliance considerations. Following the shift to Moltbot, developer feedback indicated a desire for a name that sounded less like a biological process and more like enterprise-grade infrastructure. Simultaneously, the team conducted rigorous trademark searches to ensure OpenClaw could coexist peacefully with major industry players, making the repository safe for corporate adoption. The project's official web presence has migrated to openclaw.my, with the code repository available at github.com/openclaw.
Peter Steinberger, founder of OpenClaw, addressed the community regarding the rapid changes: "I will be the first to admit: changing a brand name three times in three days is not standard operating procedure. I apologize for the whiplash this has caused our contributors and users. However, in open source, we fix bugs fast—whether they are in the code or in the brand. We realized 'Moltbot' was a patch, not a platform. OpenClaw is the platform." With the identity crisis resolved, the project can now focus entirely on technical development rather than branding issues, which is crucial for maintaining momentum in the competitive AI landscape.
The stabilization of OpenClaw's identity ensures that developers who have integrated the tool into their workflows can rely on its continued existence without further disruptive changes. For the open-source community, this demonstrates how projects can navigate trademark challenges while maintaining community trust through transparent communication and rapid response to issues. The project's commitment to resolving both technical and branding problems quickly reflects the agility that has made open-source software development so effective.
