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China’s Cyber Watchdog Warns Agencies and Banks Off OpenClaw on Work Devices as Cities Court Startups

The guidance underscores fears of data leaks from a locally installed AI agent that can take full control of a computer.

Overview

  • CNCERT/CC issued workplace guidance on WeChat advising government bodies, state enterprises and banks not to install OpenClaw on office machines.
  • Bloomberg reports staff must declare any workplace use and may be told to uninstall it, with some employees facing outright bans that reportedly extend to relatives of military personnel.
  • Beijing has not enacted a blanket ban, but the caution follows a surge in uptake that includes Chinese hosts adding OpenClaw offerings and long queues for installations at Tencent’s Shenzhen headquarters.
  • Local governments are promoting the ecosystem, with Wuxi offering 500,000 yuan awards for industrial AI projects and up to 5 million yuan for major breakthroughs, plus rent‑free offices and housing support.
  • Shenzhen’s Longgang district proposed subsidies up to 2 million yuan and other perks, while Tencent and JD.com have released apps built on OpenClaw despite security warnings about its remotely controlled, full‑access design.