Over the past week, OpenClaw has dominated tech conversations as a potential breakthrough in autonomous AI assistance. Intrigued by the buzz, I decided to test it firsthand by deploying it on a VPS to evaluate whether it could deliver on its ambitious promises.

The vision is compelling, but my experience revealed a tool still finding its footing. Here's what I learned during my week-long experiment.

Setup: A Rocky Start

The installation proved more demanding than expected. I encountered persistent network issues and Telegram integration problems that consumed significant troubleshooting time. Those expecting a seamless setup should be prepared for a learning curve.

One caveat: I performed the initial installation on a VPS, which likely contributed to the complications. A subsequent test on my local machine went much more smoothly, suggesting that the VPS environment introduced unnecessary friction.

The Automation Gap

OpenClaw's core promise is autonomous task execution—the ability to hand off work and trust that it will get done. I tested this by providing it with credentials to manage my Craft inbox and generate to-do lists automatically.

The results disappointed. The tool failed to execute these tasks independently, skipping critical steps in the workflow. For a platform marketed on its autonomous capabilities, this represents a fundamental shortcoming.

Model Selection Anxiety

Choosing which AI model to power OpenClaw introduced unexpected complications. I deliberately avoided Claude models after reading numerous accounts of subscription suspensions when Claude is accessed through third-party tools rather than directly through the API. To protect my account, I experimented with Minimax and ChatGPT instead.

Neither alternative impressed me. While functional, the effort-to-value ratio felt imbalanced—I was working harder to maintain the system than it was working for me.

The Security Trade-Off

There's a more powerful configuration: installing OpenClaw locally with full file system access. This would theoretically enable sophisticated workflows triggered by simple Telegram commands—arriving at your desk to find everything prepared.

But here's the problem: my computer houses confidential client data and sensitive personal information. Granting an experimental tool unrestricted access to this environment isn't a calculated risk—it's recklessness. While these security restrictions likely limited my results, protecting sensitive data remains non-negotiable.

Looking Forward

Despite my frustrations, OpenClaw matters. It demonstrates what autonomous AI assistance could become—a glimpse of fundamentally different workflows. If established tech companies can replicate this autonomy within secure, intuitive frameworks, it will transform professional productivity.

For now, though, OpenClaw hasn't earned its place in my workflow. I'm likely decommissioning it from my VPS within days. It's a fascinating proof of concept, but not yet a practical tool.

What about you? If you've tested OpenClaw or similar autonomous AI assistants, I'm curious whether you achieved better results with the automation features. What worked—or didn't—in your setup?