- Alibaba released the JVS Claw mobile app, aiming to lower the barrier for users to deploy agentic AI.
- The launch intensifies the competition among Chinese tech giants as they seek to profit from the nationwide "raising lobsters" AI phenomenon.
Alibaba's JVS Claw landed on mobile app stores, including Apple's App Store, on Thursday, claiming to help users install and deploy OpenClaw within minutes.
This marks an escalating battle among China's tech leaders to profit from the viral agentic AI assistant.
JVS Claw helps smartphone users without coding knowledge instruct AI agents to perform simple real-world tasks, Alibaba said in a statement.
Launched by Alibaba Cloud's Wuying team and backed by its cloud-native computing and cloud desktop infrastructure, JVS Claw's core objective is "execution." Users can drive the Clawbot through simple natural language commands.
During the closed beta period, each user can create one bot for free and receives a complimentary quota of 8,000 credits valid for 14 days.
The app's debut follows Baidu's release of its own OpenClaw Android app on Wednesday. From Tencent to Minimax, China's biggest AI players are racing to offer OpenClaw services.
This competition is fueling a nationwide frenzy dubbed "raising lobsters," a phenomenon named after OpenClaw's mascot.
The craze has driven a market rally over the past week as investors bet on the emergence of services capable of pushing AI into the mainstream.
Widespread adoption is expected to drive revenue from token consumption, as well as further technological innovation. However, the Chinese government's reaction to this phenomenon has been mixed.
At least four local municipalities have introduced policies supporting the deployment and development of OpenClaw, offering millions of yuan in subsidies.
Notably, state-owned enterprises and government agencies are reportedly restricted from freely running OpenClaw AI apps on office computers to defuse potential security risks.
