On 2026-02-16, the developer of OpenClaw announced joining OpenAI. They stated that OpenAI is the best place to gain access to the latest models and research, with the goal of making agents available for "everyone to use."
Regarding OpenClaw, the developer explicitly stated that the project will be transferred to a foundation to maintain independent operation as open source. It was reported that OpenAI has already made commitments as a sponsor of the project and intends to provide support so that the developer can dedicate time to the community.
The developer, who has spent the past 13 years managing a company, explained that the purpose of joining is not to "build a big company," but to "change the world."
Sources: I’m joining OpenAI (HN 1449pt, 1131 comments) (HN Search (backfill))