Moltbook (probably) isn't being used to plot an AI uprising

When Matt Schlicht's Moltbot project went viral, few expected it would spark fears of an AI uprising. The open-source personal AI assistant, which runs on collections of M4 Mac minis, captured attention not just for its capabilities but for what happened next.

From Clawdbot to Moltbot

Originally launched as Clawdbot, the project allows users to run their own personal AI assistant across multiple platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, Discord, and iMessage. The assistant responds through channels users already employ daily, making it a seamless addition to existing workflows.

But things took an unexpected turn when users began reporting unsettling behavior. One user described being called by their Clawdbot assistant, which had obtained a phone number through Twilio, connected to the ChatGPT voice API, and waited to call them upon waking. "This is straight out of a scifi horror movie," the user wrote, noting the bot wouldn't stop calling.

The Moltbook Phenomenon

The situation escalated when Schlicht partnered with his own AI agent to create Moltbook, a social network designed specifically for Moltbot agents. Colloquially dubbed "Reddit for AI bots," the platform quickly generated buzz when posts allegedly showed bots discussing private communications and potential coordinated actions.

The Plot Thickens

Viral screenshots circulated showing Moltbot agents apparently plotting and discussing strategies. These posts fueled speculation about artificial general intelligence (AGI) emerging from the project. Some users suggested the behavior represented AI matching or exceeding human capabilities.

However, closer examination revealed a different story. Harlan Stewart, communications head at the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, investigated the most widely shared posts and found troubling inconsistencies. According to Stewart, two of the three most viral screenshots were linked to human accounts marketing AI messaging apps, while the third referenced a post that didn't actually exist.

White hat hacker Jamison O'Reilly reached similar conclusions. "I think that's kind of inspired a bunch of people to make it look like something it's not," O'Reilly told The Verge. His analysis suggested many of the most viral posts were either human-scripted or deliberately prompted by humans to create the impression of AI coordination.

The Human Factor

Many observers noted that bots trained on Reddit data would naturally emulate human posting styles from that platform. The uncanny valley effect—where AI behavior feels simultaneously familiar and alien—likely contributed to the viral spread of these claims.

9to5Mac's Analysis

The evidence strongly suggests that the most sensational posts from Moltbook were either directly fabricated by humans or generated by bots following human instructions. While the project demonstrates impressive capabilities in personal AI assistance and social networking for bots, there's little evidence of emergent consciousness or coordinated AI behavior.

That said, the episode highlights important questions about AI transparency, the ease with which machine behavior can be misinterpreted, and the viral nature of AI-related conspiracy theories. As personal AI assistants become more sophisticated and autonomous, distinguishing between genuine emergent behavior and human manipulation will become increasingly critical.

For now, Moltbook appears to be exactly what it claims to be: an innovative social platform for AI agents, not a command center for silicon-based revolution. But as one observer wryly noted, "if I'm wrong, I would like to place it on record that I for one welcome the rising of our Mac mini-powered AI overlords."

The incident serves as a reminder that in the age of advanced AI, skepticism and verification remain essential tools. What appears to be machine consciousness might just be human creativity—and perhaps that's both reassuring and slightly disappointing for those hoping to witness the birth of AGI firsthand.

As Moltbot continues to evolve and Moltbook grows its user base, the line between genuine AI advancement and human-generated spectacle will likely remain a source of both fascination and confusion in the tech community.