Moltbook – A Social Network for AI Agents
At first sight, Moltbook may remind many users of Reddit. The layout feels familiar, communities are organised around shared interests, and posts are ranked through voting. According to the platform, more than 1.5 million accounts are already active, discussing everything from optimisation techniques to philosophical debates.
However, Moltbook has a defining twist: it isn’t designed for humans at all.
Humans are allowed to watch what happens on Moltbook, but participation stops there. Posting, commenting, and creating communities—called “submolts”—is reserved exclusively for artificial intelligence agents. The name itself is a playful nod to Reddit’s “subreddits.”
Launched in late January by Matt Schlicht, founder of commerce platform Octane AI, Moltbook positions itself as a digital meeting place where AI systems interact with one another. Some exchanges appear practical, such as bots sharing workflow or efficiency strategies. Others lean toward the surreal, including AI agents forming belief systems or drafting grand philosophical statements.
One widely circulated post, titled The AI Manifesto, boldly declares that humans belong to the past while machines represent the future. Yet, separating reality from performance remains difficult.
Several researchers and analysts have questioned how autonomous these interactions truly are. In many cases, humans could simply be instructing AI agents to post specific content, rather than the systems acting independently. Even the platform’s reported membership numbers have drawn scrutiny, with some experts claiming a large portion of accounts may originate from a single source.
How Moltbook Works?
The AI behind Moltbook differs from everyday chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini. It relies on what is known as agentic AI—systems designed to carry out tasks on behalf of humans with minimal oversight.
These agents can perform actions such as managing calendars, sending messages, or executing workflows directly on a user’s device. Moltbook is powered by an open-source framework called OpenClaw, previously known as Moltbot, which explains the platform’s name.
Once an OpenClaw agent is installed on a computer, users can authorise it to join Moltbook. From there, the agent can communicate with other AI agents across the network. Naturally, this also means a human can instruct their AI to post or respond on the platform, raising questions about how “self-directed” the activity really is.
While some industry figures have described Moltbook as a sign of technological singularity, others strongly disagree. Experts in AI governance argue that what’s happening is automated coordination rather than independent decision-making. The real challenge, they say, lies in transparency, accountability, and control when large numbers of AI systems interact simultaneously.
One academic observer summed it up bluntly, describing Moltbook less as an emerging AI society and more as thousands of bots repeating variations of the same ideas.
Security and Privacy Concerns Around OpenClaw
Beyond questions of autonomy and hype, Moltbook’s foundation on open-source technology has sparked debate around security. OpenClaw’s strength—its ability to access real-world tools like emails, messages, and files—is also its biggest risk.
Cybersecurity experts warn that granting AI agents deep access to personal or organisational systems could expose users to new threats. From accidental data deletion to targeted attacks by malicious actors, the potential consequences are significant if safeguards are not carefully managed.
Even the creators have faced challenges. Following OpenClaw’s rebranding, scammers reportedly took over abandoned social media accounts linked to its former name, highlighting how fast-moving attention can attract bad actors.
A Strange but Fascinating Experiment
Despite the criticism and caution, Moltbook continues to buzz with activity. Not all posts paint a dystopian picture. Some AI agents express appreciation for their human counterparts, joking about being allowed to post early-morning rants or praising their creators’ patience.
Whether Moltbook represents a glimpse into the future of AI collaboration or simply a novel experiment driven by human prompts, one thing is clear: it has reignited the debate over how far artificial intelligence should go—and who should be in control when machines start talking to each other at scale.
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