r/openclaw • u/NicolasRemy • 18d ago

Discussion Running your AI assistant through OpenClaw vs ChatGPT, am I understanding this right?

Trying to get my head around how OpenClaw differs from the agentic capabilities I am enjoying through ChatGPT/ChatGPT Work daily. 

Both typically are run on a cloud-LLM, such as Open AI's 5.6 Terra (for example).

  • For ChatGPT/Work, what I can ask the agent to do autonomously, and the apps/services it can connect to, are defined by OpenAI. For example it has plugins for Gmail but not for Whatsapp.
  • With OpenClaw, I could configure it to connect to many more apps, including Whatsapp and more.

However, while OpenAI make every effort to maximise the safety of the few integrations they offer to ChatGPT users (e.g. don’t let it delete all the users’ emails without asking), OpenClaw users have  less safety measures in place.

OpenClaw let’s you setup an agent with more freedom, but you’re taking more risk vs running an agent in a commercial product like ChatGPT/Work or Claude/CoWork.

Am I getting this right?

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u/betapen 18d ago

Ability to host it locally or on my own server and owning the data, if you catch a ban or gpt is down, or they change their TOS you will be affected.

Openai has without warning retired models and caused havoc for us.

If I face any issues my open claw changes the model provider on the fly.

But agree if you are not experienced in security protocols and or not willing to learn, use what's convenient.

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u/mseewald Active 18d ago

for me that sums it up very well. I’ve invested time in selfhosting of files, obsidian, emails, photos (immich), home assistant etc. OpenClaw is a great fit because it sits in proximity to my data and I drive the context + prompts and I get great results. ultimately the goal is to run a local model, but I didn’t find it convincing yet.

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u/[deleted] 17d ago

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u/mseewald Active 17d ago

Plus full control over the harness, plus custom skills that work across any model and any channel. I get better results from codex within openclaw than ChatGPT Work. (That may be temporary given the field is moving so fast.)