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Vivian Au

Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed a recent Digital Policy Office advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns.
“AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital employee,” Chan said at a lunch with professionals.
“It is difficult to say whether there will be an impact [brought by OpenClaw] on the labour market. However, repetitive work may no longer be necessary in the future.”
Rather than saying “no” to the AI agent, OpenClaw’s security risks should be addressed with improvements, Chan added.
Developed by Austrian software engineer Peter Steinberger, OpenClaw is an open-source artificial intelligence (AI) agent framework that performs real-world tasks for users, much like a supercharged digital assistant.
Its logo – a red lobster – has led users to affectionately describe using OpenClaw as “raising lobsters”.
But some users earlier reported that their “lobster” had accidentally wiped computer data, fuelling security concerns among regulators.




The system integrates with large language models – such as those from OpenAI or Anthropic – and requires users to grant permissions to control apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, email applications and even online banking tools.
Once connected, the agent can autonomously manage files, emails, calendars and more, appearing in chat apps to communicate directly with users.
At a separate public event on Monday, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong said OpenClaw might pose several potential security risks, including data leaks and system intrusion.
“Given the uncertainties surrounding OpenClaw, the government has immediately advised various departments against installing the application at this stage,” he said.
He added that the private sector should also exercise caution and implement measures, such as strengthening credential management and ensuring regular security updates to mitigate potential risks.
Dong said the government had previously issued comprehensive IT guidelines for departments. These guidelines clearly state that the installation of any application must be preceded by a rigorous security evaluation.

Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog also showed concern regarding the use of OpenClaw. It urged organisations and residents to fully understand the privacy risks and data protection implications before use.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said on Monday that users should avoid granting administrator privileges when using AI agents and refrain from sharing personal data, especially sensitive information such as identity card numbers and official documents.
The organisation noted that AI agents posed a lower risk to personal privacy than standard chatbots, but these agents might misinterpret user commands, potentially leading to the accidental deletion of critical information.
The government’s Digital Policy Office told the South China Morning Post on Friday that while no related security incidents had been reported over the use of the AI agent, the risks existed for issues including unauthorised data access, leakage and system intrusion.
The office added it had been closely monitoring recent discussions on OpenClaw and reminded all bureaus and departments not to install it or its variants on government internal network systems, given the uncertainties about the associated security risks.
Several mainland Chinese brokerages, banks and government entities reportedly had also begun restricting employees’ access to OpenClaw.
Last Wednesday, authorities released six “dos and don’ts” for organisations using OpenClaw, including that users stick to the most recent official version, minimise internet connectivity or exposure and allow the fewest permissions necessary.
Sunny Chai Ngai-chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, struck a positive note on AI development locally, saying the dynamism of the city’s innovation ecosystem was evident.
“We are seeing a growing concentration of leading international scientists, start-ups and venture capital in the city. The number of companies in our parks, the size of the talent pool and the number of unicorns are all rising steadily,” he said.
He also expressed confidence in this combined effort across government, industry, academia, research and investment for 2026.


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Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan

OpenClaw functions as a proactive assistant – once permissions are granted, it controls applications, organises files, processes emails, sorts data and executes coding workflows. Photo: Getty Images

Finance chief Paul Chan has said that AI agent OpenClaw should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong government workers warned not to install OpenClaw due to security risks

The Digital Policy Office has reminded all government bureaus and departments not to install OpenClaw nor its variants on machines connected to official internal network systems. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong OpenClaw users say tool is helpful ‘family member’ who must be watched

A man holds a placard featuring OpenClaw in Beijing. OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent framework that performs real-world tasks for users, much like a supercharged digital assistant. Photo: AFP

A man wears a lobster hat at Baidu headquarters in Beijing. Some OpenClaw users have allowed the tool to carry out stock trades on their behalf. Photo: AFP

Inside OpenClaw mania in China, as security fears surge alongside enthusiasm for AI agent

Illustration: Henry Wong

The OpenClaw logo is seen on the software’s website in this illustration picture taken on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

From stock tips to blind dates: why Chinese are obsessed with ‘raising’ a lobster

A man wears a lobster hat representing the OpenClaw logo at the Baidu headquarters in Beijing. Photo: AFP

An engineer sets up OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant for a user at Baidu’s headquarters in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Chinese users are finding creative uses for OpenClaw. Photo: AFP

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Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent


Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent.


Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent

Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent