I went to an OpenClaw installation event at Tencent's office. People were raring to go, and the FOMO is real.

A recent installation event for OpenClaw at Tencent's Singapore office drew a vibrant crowd of tech enthusiasts eager to enhance their productivity through innovative automation. Attendees included enterprise clients, developers, and curious early adopters, all of whom were welcomed by a bustling atmosphere as they gathered to learn about the tool and have it installed on their devices. Arriving just ten minutes after registration opened, I noticed the venue was already packed. Tencent staff rushed to accommodate the influx of participants, bringing in additional chairs as more people trickled in even after the presentations commenced. The palpable energy in the room was unmistakable, driven by a shared enthusiasm for OpenClaw—a tool that automates tasks across various applications, from managing schedules to monitoring coding sessions. The Tencent Cloud team began by explaining the rapid rise in OpenClaw's popularity, emphasizing its ability to operate around the clock, functioning as a virtual employee that seamlessly integrates into daily workflows. Its appeal has spread not just in Singapore but also significantly in Silicon Valley and China, where long lines have formed at Tencent's Shenzhen headquarters for installation assistance. During the demonstrations, one participant showcased how he utilized OpenClaw to generate longer video clips of himself than those produced by traditional AI tools. A segment dedicated to "AI-powered media solutions" highlighted the potential of creating content with simple prompts, prompting me to reflect on the implications for my own journalistic work. Despite my initial hesitation to install OpenClaw on my personal devices, the excitement among attendees made me reconsider. Many were actively engaged, capturing moments on their phones or typing furiously on laptops, eager to get their hands on the automation tool. After the main presentation, the crowd surged into the installation area, forming lines to receive assistance from Tencent Cloud engineers. Among the attendees was Roanak Khandelwal, a 26-year-old MBA student, who expressed his curiosity about OpenClaw's capabilities and how it might aid him in his job search. He appreciated the engineers' support in navigating the technical setup, which he found surprisingly quick and straightforward. Another participant, Sylvia Han, shared her motivation for attending the event stemmed from a desire to utilize OpenClaw to boost her productivity, noting its growing popularity in China. She remarked on the FOMO phenomenon, as many individuals, even those unfamiliar with technology, flock to Tencent for the experience. The OpenClaw craze has even led to a burgeoning side hustle industry in China, where individuals charge fees for installation services. While some consider it a trading tool for quick financial gains, Han views it as an opportunity for individuals to adapt to technological advancements and improve their work processes. After a smooth installation process that took around ten minutes, she felt reassured by Tencent's cloud infrastructure, which eased her initial concerns about the tool. Overall, the event highlighted the increasing interest in automation tools like OpenClaw and their potential to transform workflows across various sectors.