OpenClaw Creator: Why 80% Of Apps Will Disappear

Steinberger says OpenClaw stood out because it runs on a user's computer, where it can work with the files and tools available there. That access let it surprise users, such as by finding old audio recordings and turning them into a narrative of someone's year.

Steinberger built an early version by connecting WhatsApp to Claude Code, then added image support. While traveling in Marrakech, he sent a voice message and was surprised when the agent identified its audio format, converted it, found an available OpenAI key, and arranged transcription. He saw the episode as evidence that coding models can apply creative problem-solving to tasks beyond coding.

Steinberger predicts that 80% of apps could disappear, especially those that mainly manage data. He imagines an agent tracking meals, adjusting a gym plan, and setting reminders without requiring the user to choose an app or care where information is stored. He suggests apps tied to sensors may be more likely to remain.

Steinberger says chat services keep users' memories in separate data silos, while OpenClaw stores them as Markdown files on users' own machines. He considers those files highly sensitive because people use agents for personal problems as well as practical tasks. He also describes shaping the agent's behavior through identity and soul files, while keeping his own soul.md private.

Steinberger describes running several copies of a repository on main and using parallel terminal sessions to work with coding agents. He says this keeps his workflow simple and avoids branch and worktree overhead. For integrations, he favors turning MCP tools into command-line interfaces, which agents can use without restarting.