Across China, people are starting to treat AI a little differently—and in some cases, a bit like a hobby.
The latest example is OpenClaw, a tool that lets users set up AI agents to carry out tasks across apps and devices. In just a few months, it has gone from a niche developer project to something much more mainstream. Users have even given their agents a nickname: “lobsters.”
In Beijing, retirees are attending workshops to learn how to “train” their own agents, while schoolchildren are asking their parents if they can try it too. Some people hope it can help organize work or manage daily tasks. Others are more ambitious, testing ways to make money through small apps or online shops.
The buzz has been hard to ignore. The project has grown quickly on GitHub, and companies like Baidu have already started building their own versions.
Still, not everyone is convinced. Some users say they spend money on the tool without seeing much return, while regulators have warned about security risks. A few organizations have even told staff not to install it.
Even so, interest hasn’t slowed. For now, many just want to see what these “lobsters” can actually do.
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