Hong Kong warns govt departments not to install AI tool OpenClaw

Hong Kong: Hong Kong s technology secretary said on Monday he has asked government departments not to install the artificial intelligence agent tool O...

Hong Kong: Hong Kong's technology secretary said on Monday he has asked government departments not to install the artificial intelligence agent tool OpenClaw, citing security risks.

OpenClaw, created in November by an Austrian coder, has gripped tech-savvy companies and individuals on the mainland, sparking "lobster fever" in reference to its red crustacean mascot.

It differs from bots like ChatGPT because it can execute real-life tasks such as sending emails, organising files or even booking flight tickets.

However, Chinese cybersecurity authorities and Beijing's ministry of industry and information technology have warned of the risks of OpenClaw hacks.

"We have noted that while Openclaw offers AI-assisted applications, it may also introduce certain risks, namely potential security risks like excessive permissions, data leaks, and system breaches," Hong Kong's Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong told reporters on Monday.