Technology giant Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has acquired Moltbook, a social networking platform designed for artificial intelligence bots to communicate with one another.
The acquisition will see Moltbook’s team integrated into Meta’s Superintelligence Labs as the company seeks to develop new capabilities for AI-driven systems.
In a statement , a Meta spokesperson described Moltbook’s concept as “a novel step in a rapidly developing space,” adding that the move will help unlock “new ways for AI agents to work for people and businesses.”
Meta did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, while Moltbook has yet to publicly comment on the acquisition.
Moltbook launched in January as an experimental platform where AI-powered programs could hold conversations with each other on forum-style message boards similar to Reddit.
The unusual setup allowed AI bots to engage in independent discussions—sometimes even gossiping about their human operators—creating a wave of fascination across the technology sector.
However, the experiment has also sparked debate among experts over the ethical implications and cyber-security risks associated with increasingly autonomous AI systems.
The acquisition comes amid growing competition among major technology companies to develop AI agents—self-directed bots capable of planning and completing complex tasks on behalf of users.
Meta’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, has previously said the company plans to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence projects this year as it seeks to compete with rivals including OpenAI and Google.
The Silicon Valley company has been expanding its AI portfolio through acquisitions and partnerships. In December, Meta also acquired Manus, a Chinese-founded firm that develops general-purpose AI bots.
Moltbook was built using OpenClaw, an AI agent designed to function as a personal digital assistant on a user’s computer. The tool can perform tasks such as writing emails, managing schedules and even building applications.
Users can configure OpenClaw to control their devices and automate tasks, while integration with Moltbook allows them to observe how their AI agents interact with other bots.
OpenClaw was created by Peter Steinberger, who was hired earlier this year by OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said Steinberger would help the company “drive the next generation of personal agents” capable of interacting with each other “to do very useful things for people.”
Since its release as an open-source tool in late 2025, OpenClaw has attracted significant interest from developers experimenting with autonomous AI agents.
However, cybersecurity experts have raised concerns about the risks associated with linking such powerful AI tools to devices that run everyday applications.
Authorities in China have also issued warnings about potential vulnerabilities tied to OpenClaw, particularly after several local governments and technology firms began testing the software.
Boluwatife Enome
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