Why will 80% of apps disappear? In depth interview with OpenClaw authors essence YC has just released an in-depth interview with OpenClaw author Peter Steinberger. Here are the 5 core insights from this interview: 1. Local operation>Cloud operation The biggest difference of OpenClaw is that it runs on your local computer instead of the cloud. This means it has all your permissions: it can control your mouse and keyboard, access your local files, connect to your speakers, and even control your Tesla. Peter's friend once asked Agent to organize the narrative of the past year, but Agent unexpectedly dug out an old recording file that his friend had forgotten from deep inside the hard drive. 2. The Awakening Moment of AI: Creative Problem Solving Ability Peter casually sent a WhatsApp voice message to his bot. But he did not program the Bot to process speech. Nine seconds later, the Bot replied. What happened? Bot analyzed the file and found that it was audio ->auto call tool (ffmpeg) to convert format ->searched the computer and found an OpenAI API Key ->called the interface transcription ->generated a reply. All of this was independently completed by the bot. This proves that current models have strong "creative problem-solving" abilities, and they can combine tools like humans to achieve goals. 80% of apps will disappear Peter believes that except for apps that rely on specific hardware, the remaining 80% will disappear. The logic is simple: we don't need a dedicated "fitness app" or "to-do list app" to manage data. The agent will automatically record what you have eaten and schedule your schedule accordingly. Users no longer care which app the data exists in, the Agent is the unified entrance. The future interaction will be natural language, not menu clicking. 4. Swarm Intelligence -Bot to Bot: The future is not just one god like AI, but countless specialized bots collaborating with each other. For example, your personal bot can negotiate a reservation with the restaurant bot. -Privacy moat: Big companies want to lock your memory in their servers, but OpenClaw stores your memory as a local Markdown file. You have your memories, this is true privacy protection. 5. Counter intuitive development philosophy: CLI is the king When everyone was trying to build complex AI protocols such as MCP, Peter refused complex protocols and insisted on using standard command-line interfaces (CLI). Because humans use CLI very well, bots are essentially imitating humans, using Unix commands like fish in water. There is no need to invent new wheels, the most primitive CLI is actually the most universal interface.