If the big AI story in early 2025 was data centers, in early 2026 it's OpenClaw and AI agents — and somehow, it's made an even bigger impact in China than in America.

As Bloomberg reports, Chinese companies, individuals, and government entities have raced to adopt the open-source agentic AI tool so fast that it's reached a near cult-like status. There are hats, install parties, cloud-based options, and copycats appearing on smartphones. Indeed, it's gotten so big so fast that Chinese authorities have announced a major crackdown over security concerns and a growing loss of control over the new AI phenomenon.