Everyone's talking about Clawdbot. Within 72 hours, this open-source project exploded from 5,000 GitHub stars to over 60,000, triggered a Mac Mini buying frenzy, and even moved Cloudflare's stock for no good reason. The hype is real—and honestly, after trying it myself, I understand why.
Clawdbot (now legally required to call it Moltbot after Anthropic's trademark complaint) is a self-hosted AI assistant that actually does things. It doesn't just chat—it executes. You text it like a friend, and it runs commands on your computer. Book flights. Manage calendars. Burn CDs without clicking through a single menu.
I had to try it.
Update (Jan 30, 2026): The project is currently in the midst of another rebranding. As of today, it is known as OpenClaw, but the name may evolve further. Please search online for the latest project name to find the correct repository.
Step-by-Step: From Zero to AI-Powered CD Burning
1. Set Up WSL on Windows
Clawdbot runs natively on Linux, so Windows users need the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This compatibility layer from Microsoft lets you run a full Linux environment directly on Windows without a virtual machine.
First, enable WSL. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator and simply run: wsl --install This single command automatically enables the required features and installs the default Ubuntu distribution. Restart your computer when prompted.
After installation completes, restart one more time. When you open PowerShell again, you'll be in a Linux environment. Log in as root and update your packages:
2. Install Clawdbot
The project offers a quick-install script that handles all dependencies—including the Node.js environment required for operation. In your WSL terminal, run:
This downloads and configures the gateway along with all dependencies. The installation takes a few minutes. When it finishes, run the onboarding wizard:
The wizard walks you through configuring your LLM provider (choose OpenAI or Anthropic), setting up your workspace, and linking communication channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, or iMessage).
3. Grant System Access
By default, Clawdbot is sandboxed for security—a sensible default given its powerful capabilities. To control Windows applications like Nero, you need to explicitly authorize the Exec skill, which allows the agent to execute shell commands and access your filesystem.
In the Clawdbot chat interface, enable the Exec skill. You'll also need to configure Clawdbot to recognize Windows drives, which are mounted in WSL at paths like /mnt/c/ for your C: drive. This bridge between Linux and Windows allows Clawdbot to access your Nero installation and media files.
4. Hardware Setup
Insert a blank CD-R or CD-RW into your disc drive. Note the drive letter (D:, E:, etc.) so Clawdbot targets the right device. Make sure your music files are accessible and organized in a folder Clawdbot can reach.
5. The AI Prompt: Burn & Play
Here's where the magic happens. Instead of clicking through Nero's interface, simply chat with Clawdbot. Open your configured chat platform and send:
"Use NeroCMD to burn an Audio CD containing [your music files] and then open Nero MediaHome to play the disc."
Clawdbot recognizes that NeroCMD needs WAV files for an Audio CD. It automatically converts your FLAC files to WAV, handles path translation, and executes the burn in the background. It even launches MediaHome for playback upon completion. Just review the proposed commands before confirming—you're in control.
Why This Matters
Clawdbot represents a fundamental shift from passive AI tools to proactive agents. As WIRED noted, it makes Siri and Alexa "seem quaint." The assistant runs constantly on your machine, communicates through channels you already use, and remembers conversations across sessions.
The "Clawdbot Effect" became a real thing—users joked about buying dedicated Mac Minis just to run their personal AI, and somehow that speculation briefly lifted an unrelated cloud company's stock.
Worth the Hype?
Setting up Clawdbot takes about 30 minutes. The payoff is a 24/7 AI assistant that lives in your chat apps and actually gets stuff done. For anyone who dreams of an AI that doesn't just suggest—it executes—Clawdbot delivers.
The future of personal computing isn't smarter suggestions. It's AI that works for you.
Try it: Clawdbot Documentation | Nero Platinum Suite
