GoKawiilAttendees bring their laptops to install the OpenClaw AI agent during a Baidu event in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
BEIJING — So many people in China are rushing to try the OpenClaw artificial intelligence tool that they're driving up prices for secondhand Mac computers.
That's according to Jeremy Ji, chief strategy officer and general manager of international business at ATRenew , a used consumer electronics buyer and reseller that works with Apple and retailer JD.com in mainland China.
OpenClaw is an AI agent, a tool that can autonomously conduct personal tasks such as sending emails and shopping online. Usage in China is currently outstripping the U.S., according to American cybersecurity firm SecurityScorecard.
However, the free-to-download software also poses security risks, prompting many users to run OpenClaw on a cloud computing server or laptop separate from their primary device. If allowed direct access to a personal computer, the AI agent could autonomously alter private data such as banking information, or enable hackers to access it more easily.
As people in China jump on the OpenClaw trend, they are turning to preowned computers, Ji said in a phone interview.
He likened the demand surge to the pandemic, when many people bought more personal computing devices since they were working and spending more time at home.
As a result, from March to May this year, Ji said that ATRenew is keeping its prices for Apple products similar to those seen during the peak fall season around new iPhone releases. That contrasts with a typical price drop during the spring.
Ji said prices for a new MacBook are typically 15% higher than the used ones sold through ATRenew.