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Major Chinese internet and cloud service providers, including Zhipu AI and TikTok owner ByteDance, are rapidly launching their own versions of the widely-used open-source AI agent, OpenClaw, leading to a surge in their stock prices.
Zhipu, officially known as Knowledge Atlas Technology Joint Stock Company, announced the release of AutoClaw today, claiming it to be the first “one-click install” local version of OpenClaw in China. The platform comes equipped with over 50 pre-installed skills, and Zhipu recommends integrating it with their proprietary GLM, as well as popular models like DeepSeek, Moonshot AI’s Kimi, among others.
Shares of Zhipu closed nearly 13% higher at HKD649 (around USD83) in Hong Kong, marking an increase of over 300% since it went public on January 8.
Meanwhile, ByteDance’s privately held cloud division, Volcano Engine, unveiled ArkClaw yesterday, a cloud-based SaaS solution accessible directly through a web browser and seamlessly integrated with Lark plugins. Baidu’s AI Cloud has introduced a straightforward four-step deployment process and made available AI search and deep research agent Qianfan as customizable skills.
Xiaomi launched MiClaw, a mobile system-layer AI agent that operates at the OS level on their devices. Alibaba Cloud has joined the race by offering a one-click deployment feature alongside Agent Bay, their dedicated platform for AI agent services.
Alibaba’s stock increased by 3.7%, reaching HKD133.50, while its US-listed shares rose by 3.4% during pre-market trading in New York as of early morning.
Tencent rolled out WorkBuddy yesterday, enabling users to remotely configure AI agents via WeCom in under a minute, with integration options including QQ, Lark, and DingTalk. The company is also testing QClaw, a one-click AI agent tool that connects directly to WeChat and QQ, which market analysts see as highly appealing to regular users. Tencent’s shares climbed 7.3%, closing at HKD553.50.
Other Chinese tech giants such as JD.com, Huawei, Meituan, NetEase’s Youdao, Moonshot AI, MiniMax, and 360 Security Technology have also introduced their own versions of OpenClaw.
Security Concerns
OpenClaw, created by Austrian programmer Peter Steinberger, is a free, open-source AI agent framework capable of automating a broad range of tasks for users. Since its release last year, it has gained significant attention within the tech community, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently calling it possibly the most important software release ever.
However, the open-source nature of tools like OpenClaw raises security risks. Gao Wen, a deputy to China’s National People’s Congress and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, pointed out that users must be vigilant against cybersecurity threats. Internet platforms offering similar services are also urged to bolster their security responsibilities and conduct thorough risk assessments.
AutoClaw’s installation process has been pre-optimized to prevent issues like public network exposure and port vulnerabilities. Liu Xiao, head of Zhipu’s AutoGLM division, added that the setup includes guidelines for the working directory and provides alerts and restrictions for critical operations.
Given its open-source framework and flexible ecosystem of third-party skills and plugins, OpenClaw can be complex for non-technical users to deploy and operate. Experts stress that users need to develop their skills and understanding to utilize it effectively.
Analysts note that AI functionalities are quickly shifting from novelty to essential tools, especially in high-traffic sectors like search engines, social media, e-commerce, and workplace applications. Leading internet companies, with their large user bases, extensive data collection, advanced technology, and substantial computing power, remain the most promising incubators for innovative AI applications.
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