Anthropic has announced it will stop supporting the AI agent platform OpenClaw for its Claude subscriptions, a decision prompted by surging demand for its chatbot service. The cutoff will take effect at 12 p.m. PT on Saturday, according to Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code, who made the announcement via an X post on Friday evening.
In the wake of this change, users will need to purchase discounted “extra usage bundles” linked to their Claude login or utilize a separate Claude API key through Anthropic’s developer platform. Cherny elaborated that the move was influenced by the high compute demand Anthropic is currently experiencing from its user base.
Recently, Claude has gained significant traction, briefly becoming the top app in the US Apple App Store in March. The increasing popularity prompted Anthropic to adjust usage limits for subscribers just last week, indicating an unprecedented rise in demand. “We’ve been working hard to meet the increase in demand for Claude, and our subscriptions weren’t built for the usage patterns of these third-party tools. Capacity is a resource we manage thoughtfully, and we are prioritizing our customers using our products and API,” Cherny stated in his post.
An Anthropic spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that using Claude subscriptions with third-party tools violates the company’s terms of service and creates an “outsized strain on our systems.” This decision echoes broader trends in the AI landscape, as companies like Google are also tightening restrictions on third-party tools to maintain service integrity.
Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, expressed his disappointment on X, recounting attempts to negotiate with Anthropic. He noted that he and board member Dave Morin had delayed Anthropic’s decision for a week to advocate for the significant number of users who had subscribed specifically for OpenClaw. “We told Anthropic that we have many users who only signed up for their sub because of OpenClaw and that it’d be a loss if they cut them off,” Steinberger informed Business Insider in a text message. He added, “Now they try to bury the news on a Friday night.”
OpenClaw has emerged as a notable AI agent platform, allowing users to deploy personal AI assistants that automate tasks across various applications and workflows. The rapid ascent of OpenClaw has contributed to a burgeoning interest in AI agents, with some users reporting the deployment of multiple assistants to streamline their daily routines. One founder noted that she has created nine AI agents to manage administrative tasks and household logistics.
As Anthropic navigates this decision, it joins a growing list of tech firms reevaluating their policies regarding third-party integrations. The move underscores the challenges that rapidly growing AI platforms face as they balance user demand with resource management. The ongoing evolution of AI technology and its applications continues to reshape how companies interact with their users while maintaining system integrity.
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