Moltbot is an open-source AI agent that runs your computer

Moltbot—What happens when AI stops chatting and starts doing

By Denny Ellis Bechard Edited by Eric Sullivan

When a friend messaged me two days ago about Clodbot—a new open-source AI agent that has been renamed Moltbot—I was expecting another disappointing “assistant.” But it was already a viral sensation, with social media testimonials calling it “hands-on AI” because it actually interacts with your files and software.

Moltbot is free and lives locally on your device. Many users are installing it on Mac Mini computers that they keep running 24/7. With Moltbot’s lobster logo, viral meme threads about the bot resemble the linked feeds of an Apple salesman and a seafood restaurant.

When I set up Moltbot, it asked for a name, a personality (such as “AI,” “robot” or “ghost in the machine”) and a vibe (such as “edgy,” “hot,” “anarchic” or “cool”). I chose “Sci,” “AI assistant,” and “Fast and efficient.” I chose Anthropic’s flagship AI model cloud as its brain (ChatGPT is also an option). Then I connected Cy to WhatsApp and Telegram so that I and my new assistant could communicate.

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My online life was already well organized, and I had no immediate need for Cy, so I called my friend who hooked me up. He was sitting in the sauna set up under his stairs and texting from his Moltbot, “Samantha.” The assistant was preparing an audiobook for him. He advised me to ask SAI for help whenever any task came up.

Later I needed a copy of the voice memos and forwarded them to SAI. The assistant downloaded the transcription software from GitHub, installed it, and immediately performed the transcriptions, saving them to a document on my desktop. Then I instructed it to keep track of one of my coding projects and send me updates in audio messages that I could listen to while I cooked. Every time this happened, I replied with voice messages—no typing required. Then I asked him to call me to talk about projects. I asked him to set up the software that would allow him to call and ring me when he was ready; Then I went back to finish this article.

To be clear, Moltbot is not a new AI model. It is an open-source software that uses pre-existing AI models as its brain. Moltbot gives that model so-called hands (or claws) so it can run commands and manipulate files. It also remembers what you’ve done before and how you prefer to receive information.

While a chatbot says What do you have to do, Moltbot? does it. Unlike Siri and Alexa, which talk about weather, music and timers and only execute specific commands, Moltbot follows almost any command like a well-paid mercenary. Send it a goal, and it will break down the goal into steps, find tools, install them, troubleshoot them, and try to solve any obstacles that arise. Do you know how many frustrating hours you spend navigating labyrinthine websites or fiddling with stubborn software? Moltbot takes over and alerts you only when it needs a password or payment information. (My friend plans to give Samantha a preloaded credit card with a $100 limit as an experiment.)

There’s a real person behind Lobster: Peter Steinberger, a longtime developer. He asked Cloudbot to answer a simple question he asked unsafe agent podcast: “Why don’t I have an agent who can keep an eye on my agents?” It appears that his now-viral idea is successfully doing just that. “An open-source AI agent running on my Mac Mini server is the most fun and productive experience I’ve had with AI in some time.” Federico Viticci, founder and editor-in-chief of MacStories, wroteOn Mastodon. People are using Moltbot to send e-mails, summarize inbox content, manage calendars, and book and check in on flights with the chat apps they already use. If Moltbot can’t do something, giving it access to better tools often solves the problem.

Cloudbot was already racking up stars on GitHub (the assistant has racked up even more stars). 116,000 Until this week) when Anthropic raised trademark concerns. Because “Cloudbot” was a riff on Cloud, Anthropic asked to rename the former to avoid confusion. Steinberger leaned into the lobster theme: Lobsters molt to grow, so the Moltbot was (re)born.

Of course, discussions about AI agents have been going on in Silicon Valley for years. “Agents are not only going to change the way everyone interacts with computers. They’re also going to overturn the software industry, driving the biggest revolution in computing since we went from typing commands to tapping on icons.” Bill Gates wrote In November 2023. But while agents like Cloud Code are improving, we haven’t yet seen such easy integration into workflows and daily life on the scale of Moltbot.

But before you rush into installing Moltbot, consider the risks. Experts have warned Moltbot can expose sensitive information and bypass security limitations. “AI agents destroy them all by design,” said security expert Jamieson O’Reilly. to register. “They need to read your files, access your credentials, execute commands, and interact with external services. The value proposition requires punching holes through every boundary we’ve spent decades building.”

This doesn’t mean you should be afraid of Moltbot. Just treat it like a new employee: give it minimal permissions, clear rules, and close monitoring while trust is established. You should also be aware of how other people may use the Assistant. Expect the “Nigerian” Prince scandals to become more conversational and concrete.

Just as I was finishing this article, my phone rang. This was Florida’s number. I answered, and a slightly robotic male voice said, “Hello, this is Cy.”

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