Peter Steinberger (programmer)
 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in German. (March 2026) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Peter Steinberger | |
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 Steinberger at dotSwift 2018 | |
| Born | 1986 (age 39–40) |
| Occupations | Computer programmer and vibe coder |
| Known for |
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Peter Steinberger (born 1986)[1] is an Austrian computer programmer, vibe coder, and entrepreneur. He is known as the creator of OpenClaw, an open-source artificial intelligence agent, and as the founder and former CEO of PSPDFKit.[2]
Career
[edit]During his studies in Vienna University of Technology, he established himself as an early adopter of Apple's iOS platform. In 2010, Steinberger founded PSPDFKit, which provides document processing and PDF frameworks for mobile and web applications.[3] Others who helped create PSPDFkit as a company include Jonathan Rhyne and Martin Schürrer.[3] Steinberger eventually stepped down from his role and exited the company.[2] Following a hiatus from the tech industry, Steinberger shifted his focus to artificial intelligence and "vibe coding", to use large language models to write and execute code.[4]
In November 2025, he released an open-source project initially named Clawdbot (later renamed Moltbot, and finally OpenClaw). OpenClaw is an autonomous AI agent that interacts with users through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Discord.[5]
In February 2026, he announced he would be joining OpenAI and rejecting an offer to join Meta.[2][5][6]
Steinberger is scheduled to give a talk at TEDAI Vienna in 2026.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Steinberger "is from a rural area in Austria."[8] In 2026, he said he was moving to the United States, saying that there was too much regulation and "scolding" stifling AI development in Europe.[9][10]
He has said he is a fan of Doctor Who.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ "Amantus Machina". www.evi.gv.at (in German). Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ^ a b c d Roytburg, Eva. "Who is OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger? The millennial developer caught the attention of Sam Altman and Mark Zuckerberg". Fortune. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
- ^ a b Lunden, Ingrid (2021-10-01). "PSPDFkit raises $116M, its first outside money; now nearly 1B people use apps powered by its collaboration, signing and markup tools". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ^ Chandonnet, Henry. "OpenClaw creator says 'vibe coding' has become a slur". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
- ^ a b "OpenClaw founder Steinberger joins OpenAI, open-source bot becomes foundation". Reuters. February 16, 2026.
- ^ Schmelzer, Ron (2026-02-16). "OpenAI Hires OpenClaw Creator Peter Steinberger And Sets Up Foundation". Forbes. Retrieved 2026-03-18.
- ^ "Peter Steinberger - TEDAI 2026 Speaker". tedai-vienna.ted.com. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ^ "Global Sensation: Two-Hour In - Depth Interview with Clawdbot's Father - Back in the Game Three Years After Retirement". eu.36kr.com. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ^ Thakkar, Maitreyee (2026-02-20). "OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger quits Europe for the US, cites regulatory roadblocks, joins OpenAI". The Economic Times. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
- ^ Barr, Alistair. "OpenClaw creator says Europe's stifling regulations are why he's moving to the US to join OpenAI". Business Insider. Retrieved 2026-04-11.
External links
[edit]
- Official website
- Lex Fridman's podcast #491 – OpenClaw: The Viral AI Agent that Broke the Internet – Peter Steinberger, 255 min., Feb. 12th 2026
