China Cybersecurity Regulator Warns Over OpenClaw AI Agent Security Risks

China's national cybersecurity authority CNCERT issued a public warning about OpenClaw, a popular open-source AI agent capable of autonomously controlling devices. The regulator cited heightened exposure to data breaches and privacy violations. OpenClaw had gone viral across China since January 2026, with impromptu consultants and tinkerers capitalising on public enthusiasm. Despite the warning, China's AI giants including Tencent continued promoting their models through OpenClaw integrations. Tencent held a public event offering free installation support that drew long queues. The episode illustrated both China's rapid grassroots AI adoption and emerging governance tensions over agentic AI tools.