"Raising Lobsters" - How Did It Become So Popular?

"Have you 'raised lobsters' yet?"
This seemingly absurd and amusing question is actually referring to a major event in the tech world recently.

This "lobster" is not a delicacy on the dinner table, but rather an open-source AI agent software called OpenClaw, named for its icon that resembles a red lobster. Users who install and deploy this software on their devices are said to be "raising lobsters."

"Raising lobsters" has exploded in popularity at an unimaginable speed, coinciding with 2026's national two sessions, which for the first time included "creating new forms of intelligent economy" in the government work report—this is more than just a temporal coincidence.

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On March 6th, long queues formed outside the Tencent building in Shenzhen. Hundreds of developers and AI enthusiasts gathered there, completing OpenClaw's cloud deployment with engineer assistance. In the long line, old and young alike, everyone's attention was focused on that fiery "lobster."

The popularity of the "lobster" is astounding. In the open-source community, this little red lobster quickly rose to fame, becoming a dazzling new star since 2026.

Compared to "conversational" AI agents, the "lobster" is an action expert. It's more like a "digital person" with learning and hands-on capabilities, able to directly help people operate tasks. Precisely because it requires users to install and train it themselves, netizens figuratively call the process of installing and deploying this software "raising lobsters."

On social media platforms, many netizens have shared their experiences of "raising lobsters" and "using lobsters." From organizing desktops to cross-software data processing, the results are astounding. From "conversational models" to "hands-on operations," AI is evolving from "talkative" to "action-oriented."

In fact, the "lobster craze" had early precedents.
In recent years, numerous AI agent products have appeared on the market. Users can order food, shop, or book flights with one-click commands—not only helping people get things done, but also communicating with people and providing advice. More and more AI "assistants" are becoming good "helpers" in our learning and life.

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The 2026 government work report for the first time proposed "creating new forms of intelligent economy," calling to "promote the rapid rollout of next-generation smart terminals and intelligent agents" and "drive commercial-scale AI applications in key industries and fields, cultivating new AI-native business forms and models."

This indicates that the nation's focus has shifted from "AI+ traditional industry" empowerment models to layout of the overall industry and implementation of specific products.

In August 2025, the State Council released the "Opinions on Deeply Implementing the 'AI+' Action," setting clear targets for adoption rates of next-generation smart terminals, intelligent agents, and other applications: exceeding 70% by 2027; further increasing to over 90% by 2030.

The industry has responded enthusiastically, with domestic cloud service providers and large model manufacturers accelerating their layouts, successively launching corresponding cloud services and configuration panels. An industry boom surrounding the "lobster" has quickly unfolded.

Keeping pace with cutting-edge tech trends at such "light speed" once again demonstrates "China's speed" in another dimension.

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While emphasizing the development of intelligent economy, the government work report reiterates the importance of perfecting "AI governance."

At the current stage, raising "lobsters" still requires professional knowledge. Ordinary users can attempt to learn and understand, but behind the hype, potential risks must not be overlooked.

The "lobster's" positioning is "getting things done" rather than "chatting," which means it has higher system permissions than previous AI software, and therefore carries higher security risks, easily triggering cyberattacks, information leaks, and other security issues.

Currently, the intelligent agent industry is in its early development stages. For this new technological form, we must create an inclusive and prudent competitive and regulatory environment. Regulatory authorities must strengthen the establishment and improvement of intelligent agent-related regulations.

On one hand, we must improve relevant laws and regulations, clarify the boundaries of rights and obligations in the technological innovation process, and provide clear legal guidance for the research, application, and promotion of AI technology.

On the other hand, we must strengthen law enforcement to legally punish illegal activities such as intellectual property infringement and unfair competition, maintaining a fair and orderly market competition environment.

From the explosion of popularity of a "lobster" to "intelligent economy" being written into the government work report, China's AI future looks promising, with more wonderful stories surely about to unfold!

⚠️⚠️⚠️ Recently the lobster has been very popular, and some friends might want to follow the trend and give it a try. I'd advise against it. Unless you're a high-level engineer like those at Tencent, don't touch it! Don't hand over permissions, that's all I have to say! ⚠️⚠️⚠️