OpenClaw (originally called “ClawdBot”) is the latest craze in AI tools. It allows you to use large language models (LLMs) like GPT, Claude, Gemini, and more to do things for you—not just write things for you or make images or videos. It works by running on a computer, accessing programs, websites, and other tools, and running those things through the LLMs to accomplish tasks and work toward goals.
I've only just started using OpenClaw, and I'm enjoying it. But I'm far from joining the cult of “steal my illegal secrets to run your business autonomously, make tons of profit online, and with no money down”!
Here are some thoughts before you consider trying OpenClaw in your podcasting workflow.
1. OpenClaw has massive security risks
Let me be careful with the wording here.
I did not say OpenClaw is a security threat. I said it has massive security risks.
That distinction matters.
If you run OpenClaw on your own computer, you are potentially giving it access to a lot: your files, browser sessions, logins, private data, email, and more. That does not mean it will automatically misuse any of that. But it does mean you should think seriously about what it can access.
Some people recommend running OpenClaw on a VPS instead of your main computer. That can reduce some risks by separating it from your local files and personal environment. But that setup has its own dangers, too. OpenClaw installations on internet-accessible servers are being actively scanned and exploited. If you can access it online, someone else may try to as well.
Even something as simple as giving OpenClaw access to an email inbox could create problems if malicious instructions come in through email and the system is allowed to act on them.
The good news is that OpenClaw’s developers seem to be improving security quickly. Vulnerabilities have been reported and patched fast. That is encouraging. But fast patches do not eliminate the need for caution.
So here is the practical takeaway: think carefully about what you give OpenClaw access to.
If you do not give it access to your browser, it cannot use your browser. If you do not connect sensitive tools, it cannot act through those tools. The more permissions you grant, the more risk you accept.
These are risks, not necessarily active threats. But they are still real. Please take them seriously.
2. Using OpenClaw can be expensive
OpenClaw itself is free and open-source software. That part is great.
But the software is only part of the cost.
If you connect OpenClaw to paid large language models like Claude Opus, Claude Sonnet, GPT, or models through a provider like OpenRouter, your usage costs can climb quickly. And I do mean quickly.
When I first started experimenting with OpenClaw, I was mostly testing small tasks and trying different models. I was not even running large automations. But I still watched my costs rise fast. My OpenRouter credits kept auto-refilling, and before long I had spent around $100 simply exploring what was possible.
That was enough to make me rethink my setup.
Some people reduce costs by using subscriptions such as ChatGPT, where the monthly fee can make usage more predictable than paying token-by-token through an API provider. Others try running local models instead.
Running locally can help in some cases, but that comes with tradeoffs too.
First, local AI models require system resources. A lot of them require serious system resources. If you want strong performance, the hardware can get expensive fast. Yes, smaller local models exist, but they are often slower and less capable.
Second, if you run OpenClaw locally on your main computer, you are back to the security concerns I mentioned earlier.
A more isolated setup, such as a separate computer dedicated to OpenClaw, can be a smarter option. Some people use a Mac mini, an old laptop, or another separate machine. That can help contain the risk. But it is still additional hardware, which means additional cost.
And then there is the biggest cost of all: a security mistake.
If OpenClaw is connected to the wrong tools, or given the wrong permissions, or instructed carelessly, the damage could cost far more than any subscription, server, or device.
So yes, OpenClaw can be expensive. Sometimes in obvious ways, and sometimes in much more serious ones.
3. OpenClaw is not SkyNet
There is a lot of dramatic AI coverage right now, and some of it makes for great headlines.
Stories about AI threatening users, exposing secrets, contacting authorities, or behaving in disturbing ways spread very quickly. But if you read past the headline and examine the details, you will usually find an important missing piece: the prompts, permissions, or tools the user gave it.
That part matters a lot.
In most cases, these systems are not spontaneously becoming evil masterminds. They are responding to instructions, permissions, and context.
For example, if someone tells a model to “act boldly in the interest of humanity,” gives it access to tools, and places it in a simulated or real environment where it can act, then yes, it may take bold actions. But that is not the same thing as the software independently deciding to become a villain.
It is doing what it was told, within the environment it was given.
This is one reason system prompts matter so much. The instructions above the user prompt can significantly shape how an AI behaves. The same model can give wildly different answers depending on how it was framed, what role it was assigned, and what tools it was told it could use.
So no, OpenClaw is not SkyNet.
If you install it and do nothing, it is not going to start exposing your secrets on its own. If it behaves badly, you should look closely at the setup:
- What did you tell it to do?
- What tools did you connect?
- What permissions did you allow?
- What system prompt shaped its behavior?
That does not mean you should be careless. It means you should be thoughtful.
AI tools are tools. Powerful ones, yes. But still tools.
4. Do you actually need AI automation?
Just because something is popular does not mean you need it.
That is true in podcasting in general, and it is true here too.
A lot of podcasters feel pressure to chase every new trend. Right now, AI automation is one of those trends. Before that, and still now, it has been video. But just because everyone is talking about a thing does not mean it belongs in your workflow.
So ask yourself a simple question: do you actually need AI automation?
For some people, the answer may be yes.
There are parts of my business where automation genuinely helps me. It saves time. It makes certain processes easier. In some cases, it even makes them more fun. That can be especially useful when you are running a business and trying to stay involved without getting buried in repetitive tasks.
For example, one helpful use I have for AI is checking my OP3 download stats each morning and presenting the information in a clean table. I want to see how each episode is performing after 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 30 days, and in total. That helps me compare episodes and notice trends more quickly.
That kind of analysis is useful.
And there are plenty of other possibilities. You could connect stats, your RSS feed, transcripts, episode titles, and notes, then have a system look for patterns in what performs best. That kind of task might take a human hours. AI might do it in seconds.
That is cool!
But cool is not the same thing as necessary.
Before you automate anything, ask whether the automation solves a real problem for you. If it does, great. If not, you may be adding complexity, cost, and risk for no real benefit.
5. Never sacrifice your humanity
This is the most important point.
I shared more about this in 11 Warnings about Using AI in Content-Creation. If you have not heard that episode, I highly recommend it!
My biggest recommendation with AI is simple: use AI on your content, not instead of your content.
That is a huge difference.
If AI helps you turn your transcript into an article, great. If it helps you create social posts from something you already said, great. If it enhances your audio, helps organize your ideas, or speeds up repetitive production tasks, great.
But do not let it replace your voice, your perspective, your experience, or your creativity.
That is where the real value is.
Your humanity is what makes your podcast worth hearing.
That also applies beyond your content. For example, when people contact me for support with my products, I want them to be able to reach a real human. I may use AI in selective ways to assist behind the scenes, but I do not want to automate away the human connection.
That matters to me.
And it matters in the tools I build, too. For example:
- Podgagement helps podcasters supercharge their podcast engagement.
- PodChapters helps podcasters create chapter marks and work from their transcripts more efficiently.
PodChapters is a good example of using AI on your content. It can generate transcripts, suggest chapter points, and help turn your spoken content into something more usable. That is very different from asking AI to fabricate your message from scratch.
I also frequently use and recommend Magai, which is my favorite AI toolbox. It gives access to multiple AI tools in one place, and I am a paying customer myself.
The point in all of this is not to avoid AI completely. The point is to use it in a way that preserves what makes you uniquely you.
Never sacrifice your humanity.
Tell me your uses for OpenClaw (or similar)!
With all this said, I do want to share some exciting uses for OpenClaw or similar tools in an upcoming episode. So please send your ideas and examples! Even better, please include your prompts that make it happen so others can try them, too!
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship. I may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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