Anthropic says Claude subscriptions will no longer support OpenClaw because it puts an 'outsized strain' on systems

In a significant move, Anthropic has announced that it will discontinue support for the widely used AI agent platform OpenClaw within its Claude subscription offerings. This decision comes as the company faces unprecedented demand for its chatbot services. Boris Cherny, the head of Claude Code, shared this development in an X post on Friday evening, stating that starting at 12 p.m. PT on Saturday, users will no longer be able to utilize third-party tools like OpenClaw with their Claude subscriptions. Instead, users will have to opt for discounted 'extra usage bundles' linked to their Claude accounts or acquire a separate Claude API key through Anthropic's developer platform. Cherny emphasized that the decision was a response to the overwhelming compute demands placed on Anthropic’s systems by users of these external tools. Claude's popularity has surged recently, even briefly reaching the top of the US Apple App Store in March. Due to this rising demand, Anthropic had previously adjusted usage limits for its subscribers. "We have been working diligently to accommodate the increased demand for Claude, but our subscriptions were not designed for the usage patterns associated with these external tools," Cherny explained. He further noted that the company manages its capacity resources carefully, prioritizing customers who utilize its products and API. An Anthropic representative reiterated to Business Insider that using Claude subscriptions with third-party applications violates the company’s terms of service, citing that such tools impose an 'outsized strain' on their systems. Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw, expressed his frustration on X, revealing that he and OpenClaw foundation board member Dave Morin had attempted to negotiate with Anthropic to reconsider their decision. They even managed to delay the announcement by a week. Steinberger argued that many users had signed up for Claude specifically because of OpenClaw, adding that discontinuing support would be detrimental to those users. OpenClaw has rapidly gained traction as an AI agent platform, allowing users to create personal AI assistants that can manage tasks across various applications. This trend has led to a burgeoning interest in AI agents, with some users deploying multiple assistants to streamline their daily workflows. In a similar vein, other tech companies like Google have also begun imposing restrictions on third-party tools, albeit for different reasons.