Amateur training on OpenClaw surges in popularity in China

Amateur training on the open-source artificial intelligence agent OpenClaw is rapidly gaining traction in China, especially among AI newcomers eager to explore this eye-catching technology.

The OpenClaw project was originally published last November by Austrian coder Peter Steinberger. Later named OpenClaw, with "Open" referring to its open-source nature, it quickly took off, attracting 2 million visitors in a single week, and has so far collected over 309,000 stars on code repository GitHub.

Though configuration could be tricky for those who are not tech-savvy, the AI agent can be installed with a single line in the terminal and run tasks autonomously.

Standing out from other mainstream AI systems like ChatGPT, DeepSeek and Claude, which largely operate through a conversational prompt-response model, OpenClaw is designed to take action, carrying out tasks for users in the digital world.

It can be used to manage email, schedule appointments, gather market intelligence or plan travel itineraries, handling repetitive and time-consuming tasks that normally fill a workday.

A tech community in Beijing has launched a range of OpenClaw courses tailored to different groups, covering various aspects such as installation and practical usage.

The introductory installation course has attracted numerous computer novices, many of whom were experiencing the OpenClaw for the first time.

"I'm interested in installing OpenClaw to improve the efficiency of my self-media operations. Also, I want to develop a learning system for my child," said a student.

"We are in an era where AI is advancing at an incredible pace. So, if we don't want to be left behind, we should study it," said another student.

The growing popularity of OpenClaw is evident not only in offline courses, but also more directly in cloud-based monitoring data.

"Basically, as the rise of OpenClaw began during the Spring Festival period, we have been seeing user growth exceeding 100 percent every week since then," said Fu Qiang, a technician from a large model company providing cloud-based OpenClaw services.

Amateur training on OpenClaw surges in popularity in China

A surge in global demand has set Yiwu's manufacturing and logistics chain running at full speed this spring, with factories and shippers all working overtime to meet orders bound for markets worldwide.

Many manufacturers in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world’s supermarket," reported a steady rise in orders in the first quarter of 2026.

Among them are sports goods makers racing to deliver ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

"In the first two months alone, we sent about four containers of goods. Orders have gradually come in from South America and Africa, and the current orders can keep our production running through May," said Wu Xiaoming, general manager of a sports firm in Yiwu.

At Yiwu's bonded zone, customs brokers swiftly checked documents to ensure exports reach global markets fast.

"Today's shipments mainly are kitchenware, tableware and small home appliances. They are mainly bound for Germany and Spain," said Fu Jianying, a customs broker.

Yiwu has now linked 26 international rail freight routes, building a logistics network that covers more than 160 cities in about 50 countries. With smooth transport, creative design and strong manufacturing capacity, the city's cross-border trade is accelerating, underscoring its role as a hub of global small commodities.

Yiwu cross‑border trade gains speed this spring