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Home About the Author Advertising/Speaking How AI Assistants are Shifting Security Priorities March 8, 2026 28 Comments
AI-based assistants or 'agents' — autonomous programs that have access to a user’s computer, files, online services, and can automate virtually any task — are gaining popularity among developers and IT workers. But as many recent headlines have shown, these powerful and assertive new tools are rapidly shifting the security priorities for organizations while blurring the lines between data and code, trusted co-workers and insider threats, ninja hackers and novice coders.
The latest trend in AI-based assistants — OpenClaw (formerly known as ClawdBot and Moltbot) — has seen rapid adoption since its release in November 2025. OpenClaw is an open-source autonomous AI agent designed to run locally on your computer, proactively taking actions on your behalf without needing to be prompted.
If that sounds like a risky proposition or a dare, consider that OpenClaw is most useful when it has complete access to your digital life, where it can manage your inbox and calendar, execute programs and tools, browse the Internet for information, and integrate with chat apps like Discord, Signal, Teams, or WhatsApp. Established AI assistants such as Anthropic’s Claude and Microsoft’s Copilot also perform these tasks but OpenClaw isn’t just a passive digital butler waiting for commands. Instead, it is designed to take the initiative based on its understanding of your life and what you want done.
The testimonials are impressive.