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ZDNET's key takeaways
Moltbot, formerly known as Clawdbot, has gone viral as an "AI that actually does things."
Security experts have warned against joining the trend and using the AI assistant without caution.
If you plan on trying out Moltbot for yourself, be aware of these security issues.
Clawdbot, now rebranded as Moltbot following an IP nudge from Anthropic, has been at the center of a viral whirlwind -- but there are security ramifications of using the AI assistant you need to be aware of.
What is Moltbot?
Moltbot, displayed as a cute crustacean, promotes itself as an "AI that actually does things." Spawned from the mind of Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, the open-source AI assistant has been designed to manage aspects of your digital life, including handling your email, sending messages, and even performing actions on your behalf, such as checking you in for flights and other services.
Also: 10 ways AI can inflict unprecedented damage in 2026
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