In a new interview with TechCrunch, OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger shares a philosophy that challenges the "move fast and break things" mentality: be more playful, and give yourself time to improve.
The Playful Approach
Steinberger argues that "being more playful makes for a better way to learn AI coding." Rather than approaching AI agent development with the rigid methodology of traditional software engineering, he advocates for treating it as an exploratory, iterative process where mistakes are learning opportunities rather than failures.
From Side Project to OpenAI
The advice carries weight given Steinberger's trajectory. What started as a personal experiment — building an AI agent to manage his own Telegram and Discord messages — became the fastest-growing open-source project in history, attracting over 200,000 GitHub stars in under 100 days. That success led to an offer to join OpenAI, announced on February 14.
Why It Matters for Builders
The AI agent space is moving at breakneck speed, with new frameworks, models, and platforms launching weekly. Steinberger's core message is that developers benefit more from experimentation than from trying to ship a polished product on day one. In his view, the iterative learning that comes from playful tinkering produces better results than intense, deadline-driven development.
This perspective stands in contrast to the venture-funded AI startup culture, where rapid deployment and market capture are the primary objectives. Steinberger suggests that the personal AI agent space rewards a different approach — one where individual developers can outpace larger teams by staying curious and adaptable.
Looking Ahead
As Steinberger transitions to his role at OpenAI and OpenClaw moves to an independent foundation, his parting advice to the community is a reminder that the most impactful open-source projects often start as playful experiments rather than grand plans.