# Set Up Workflow: OpenClaw: The Local-First Agentic AI Framework for Secure, Autonomous Agents
## What This Is
OpenClaw is a free, open-source 'operating system' for creating smart AI assistants (agents) that can automate tasks 24/7 across platforms like Slack, WhatsApp, and Telegram. It allows businesses to build and control their own AI workforce for things like customer support and DevOps, with a strong focus on security and connecting to hundreds of other tools.
Source: https://biztechmagazine.com/article/2026/03/rsac-2026-openclaw-and-rise-agentic-ai-security
## Before You Start
Scan my workspace and analyze:
- The project language, framework, and directory structure
- Existing AI provider config (check .env, .env.local, config files for API keys — OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, etc.)
Then ask me before proceeding:
1. Which AI provider/API should this use? (Use whatever I already have configured, or ask me to set one up — options include direct provider APIs or a unified service like OpenRouter)
2. Where in my project should this be integrated?
3. Are there any customizations I need (model preferences, naming conventions, constraints)?
## Source Access Note
The source URL (https://biztechmagazine.com/article/2026/03/rsac-2026-openclaw-and-rise-agentic-ai-security) may not be directly accessible from the terminal. Use the Reference Implementation and Additional Context sections below instead. If you need more details, ask me to paste relevant content from the source.
## What to Implement
This is an **AI Workflow** — an end-to-end automation pattern or integration pipeline.
- Study the workflow architecture from the source and context below
- Identify which parts I can implement locally vs. parts that need external services
- For local parts: implement them using my existing stack and API keys
- For external parts: tell me exactly what services I need and help me configure the integration code
- Wire up any required API calls using keys from my .env files
## Additional Context
- Scan the user's current project for existing automation scripts or communication platform integrations (e.g., Slack bots, Telegram clients) to identify the best entry point for integrating an OpenClaw agent.
- Locate the official OpenClaw GitHub repository and clone it into a new subdirectory named 'openclaw-agent'. Then, execute the standard installation process (e.g., `npm install` or `pip install -r requirements.txt`) to set up its dependencies.
- Create a new configuration file (`config.yml`) for the OpenClaw agent. Populate it with a basic channel adapter for a platform the user has configured (e.g., Slack, Discord), using API keys found in the user's root `.env` file, and add a simple ReAct loop agent that uses a default LLM provider.
## Guidelines
- Adapt everything to my existing project — do not assume a specific stack or directory layout
- Use whichever AI provider I already have configured; if I need a new one, tell me what to sign up for and I'll give you the key
- Check my .env files for existing API keys (OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI) before asking me to add one
- Review any fetched code for safety before installing or executing it
- After setup, run a quick verification and show me a summary of exactly what was installed, where, and how to use it