OpenAI in Advanced Talks to Hire OpenClaw Founder, Others Connected to Agent Project

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OpenAI is in advanced discussions to hire OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger and a handful of other people helping to maintain the red hot open-source software for powering personal agents, according to two people directly involved in the discussions.

If those efforts are successful, Steinberger and his team will likely work on personal agents at OpenAI, as well as other products, the people said. As part of the discussions, the teams are discussing setting up a foundation to run the existing OpenClaw open source project. Meta Platforms has also been wooing Steinberger to join the company, which is competing aggressively for talent with OpenAI and others and has also made the development of personal agents a priority, according to these people.

(Following the publication of this story, Steinberger and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed on X that Steinberger will join OpenAI and that a foundation supported by OpenAI will continue to oversee the OpenClaw open source project.)