Anthropic temporarily banned OpenClaw’s creator from accessing Claude

Peter Steinberger, the mind behind OpenClaw, shared on X early Friday that his access to Anthropic's Claude had been temporarily revoked due to 'suspicious' activity. This news spurred a wave of reactions, with many speculating about the implications, especially given Steinberger's affiliation with OpenAI, a competitor of Anthropic. However, the suspension was short-lived, and just a few hours later, he announced that his account was restored. The incident took place shortly after Anthropic updated its policies, stating that subscriptions to Claude would no longer cover third-party integrations like OpenClaw. Users of OpenClaw are now required to pay separately for API access, leading to what some are calling a 'claw tax.' Steinberger claimed he was adhering to the new rules when the ban occurred, raising questions about the enforcement of these policies. Anthropic explained that the pricing adjustment was necessary due to the unique usage patterns of third-party tools, which can be more demanding than traditional prompts. Yet, Steinberger expressed skepticism over this justification. He highlighted the timing of the policy change, suggesting that it followed closely on the heels of Anthropic introducing new features to its own tool, Cowork, which may draw users away from OpenClaw. Adding to the drama, some comments directed at Steinberger implied that his employment decision to join OpenAI over Anthropic had repercussions, to which he retorted that one company welcomed him while the other resorted to legal threats. Despite the tensions, he clarified that he tests Claude to ensure compatibility with OpenClaw, emphasizing his commitment to supporting various model providers. As the situation unfolds, it remains unclear how this policy shift will impact the future of OpenClaw and its users, particularly as many continue to favor Claude over other options like ChatGPT. Steinberger’s response hints at ongoing developments in his role at OpenAI, suggesting that he is actively addressing these challenges.