Peter Steinberger, creator of the viral AI agent Clawdbot, was forced to rename his project to Moltbot after receiving a trademark notice from Anthropic. The AI coding assistant was originally named after Clawd, the mascot for Anthropic’s Claude Code product. While Anthropic didn’t take legal action, they sent an internal email requesting the name change due to trademark ownership of both the Clawd image and the Claude name.
Speaking on TBPN, Steinberger revealed the challenging timeline and complications that followed. The rename was particularly difficult given the product’s significant social media recognition and established brand presence. “Everything that could have gone wrong today went wrong,” Steinberger explained, describing the chaotic transition period.
The situation worsened immediately after the rebrand when crypto sellers quickly claimed the @Clawdbot X (Twitter) handle. Though X staff intervened to help Steinberger reclaim the account, there was a problematic 20-minute window where the handle was controlled by bad actors.
Despite interest from venture capitalists, Steinberger indicated that a major acquisition is unlikely. Security researchers have been actively contacting him about vulnerabilities, which could deter potential corporate buyers. “This is all vibe-coded,” Steinberger admitted. “I don’t know if any company would touch it, because we just haven’t solved some things.” He acknowledged “absolute risk” with the product and expressed preference for Moltbot to become a foundation or nonprofit rather than a traditional company.
Interestingly, while the bot was named after Claude Code, Steinberger revealed he actually prefers coding with OpenAI’s Codex. He described Codex as more straightforward compared to Claude Code, which required more “tricks.” When managing overwhelming questions on his Discord server, Steinberger would copy and paste them directly into Codex for assistance.
OpenAI’s chief marketing officer, Kate Rouch, seized the opportunity to highlight the competitive dynamic, taking a subtle jab at Anthropic over the situation. The incident highlights the complex trademark landscape in the rapidly evolving AI tools market and the challenges independent developers face when building products adjacent to major AI platforms.
Key Quotes
I got an email from Anthropic that I had to rename the project. Kudos, they were really nice. They didn’t send their lawyers. They sent someone internally.
Peter Steinberger, creator of Clawdbot/Moltbot, describing Anthropic’s approach to the trademark issue. This highlights how the company handled the situation diplomatically rather than through aggressive legal action, though the outcome was still mandatory.
Everything that could have gone wrong today went wrong.
Steinberger describing the chaotic rebrand process, which included losing the social media handle to crypto sellers and dealing with the challenges of renaming a product with established brand recognition.
This is all vibe-coded. I don’t know if any company would touch it, because we just haven’t solved some things.
Steinberger acknowledging the security vulnerabilities and experimental nature of Moltbot, explaining why despite VC interest, a major acquisition seems unlikely. This reveals the tension between innovation speed and security in AI development.
I don’t know if any company would touch it, because we just haven’t solved some things.
Steinberger’s frank admission about unresolved security issues with Moltbot, demonstrating the challenges of building safe AI agents and why corporate acquirers might be hesitant despite the product’s viral success.
Our Take
This incident perfectly encapsulates the growing pains of the AI ecosystem as it matures. While Anthropic’s diplomatic approach is commendable, the forced rebrand demonstrates how major AI companies are increasingly protective of their intellectual property as the market heats up. Steinberger’s candid admission about security vulnerabilities is refreshing in an industry often characterized by hype over substance. His preference for a nonprofit model over acquisition suggests a philosophical divide emerging in AI development—between those seeking to build open, community-driven tools and those pursuing traditional venture-backed exits. The competitive jab from OpenAI’s CMO reveals how even trademark disputes become marketing opportunities in the fierce battle for AI developer mindshare. Most significantly, the security researcher attention highlights that as AI agents become more autonomous and powerful, the stakes for getting safety right increase exponentially.
Why This Matters
This story illuminates critical tensions in the AI development ecosystem between independent creators and major AI companies. As AI coding assistants become increasingly popular, trademark and branding conflicts will likely intensify, potentially stifling innovation from smaller developers who build on or reference established AI platforms.
The incident reveals how viral AI products can attract both investment interest and security scrutiny simultaneously, creating a complex risk profile that may prevent traditional acquisition paths. Steinberger’s preference for a nonprofit model over corporate ownership suggests a growing movement toward open, community-driven AI development rather than consolidation by tech giants.
The competitive dynamics between Anthropic and OpenAI are also on display, with OpenAI’s CMO using the situation for marketing advantage. This reflects the intense rivalry in the AI coding assistant market, where Claude Code and Codex compete for developer mindshare. The security concerns raised by researchers underscore ongoing challenges with AI agent safety and the risks of autonomous coding tools, issues that will become increasingly important as these technologies mature and gain wider adoption.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/clawdbot-moltbot-creator-anthropic-nice-name-change-2026-1