China's OpenClaw AI craze fades as costs and barriers deter users

Earlier this year, Chinese netizens, including seniors, enthusiastically adopted OpenClaw, sparking a viral "raising lobsters" trend. A domestic tech outlet now describes the tool as a relic, citing high entry costs and expensive tokens as primary obstacles. Consequently, the United States has surpassed China in the number of active OpenClaw instances. Despite this decline, overall optimism toward artificial intelligence remains strong in China, according to a recent one outlet's report that links it to the country's view of technology as a pathway to opportunity.