OpenClaw creator calls Google harsh after banning some AI users, Google defends
If you’re using Google Gemini AI, can the company unilaterally cut off your access to it? It seems yes, as Google did this for some users who were using its antigravity tool. The OpenClaw maker called the company’s move harsh, while Google defended it, saying the banned users were misusing the AI tool.
There is latest drama brewing in the land of AI. And this time the question is, can a tech company unilaterally block users from accessing its AI tools? This is because Google has apparently banned some Gemini Pro users who were using the desktop-based AI tool OpenClaw to access Google AntiGravity.
AntiGravity is an AI tool powered by Gemini and which allows users to write software even if they do not have a background in coding. Google claimed that OpenClaw users were abusing antigravity.
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Although the issue is limited to a small group of users – those who were using OpenCL to access AntiGravity – it raises a bigger question: At a time when AI is rapidly turning into an essential tool, can tech companies like Google, OpenAI and Anthropic unilaterally ban users?
Perhaps that’s why as soon as Google’s ban on OpenClaw users went into effect, OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger called out Google on social media. He described Google’s move as cruel.
In a post on X, Peter warned developers to be cautious when using Google’s AntiGravity backend and suggested it might remove support to avoid further disruption. “Pretty harsh on Google’s part. Be careful if you use antigravity. I think I’ll remove support (from OpenClaw),” he wrote. He said Anthropic users have also faced problems, but said the company communicates better. “Even Anthropic pings me and is nice about the issues. Google just bans?” He added.
OpenClaw is an open-source coding agent framework that allows developers to connect AI models, including Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Cloud. It has become very popular among the tech-savvy and developer crowd. However, the service has started to face opposition from AI companies as well. Previously, Anthropic wasn’t very happy with the way OpenGL users accessed its cloud AI. Now, Google is equally angry.
Also, it’s important to note that OpenClaw is now part of OpenAI, a competitor to Google and Anthropic. This could also be one of the reasons why AI companies are trying to distance themselves from OpenClaw and its users.
Apparently, Google has a different take on the whole story. Responding hours after Peter made his complaint public, Google noted that the restrictions on OpenClaw users were due to abuse of the AntiGravity backend.
In a post on X, Google AntiGravity head Varun Mohan said: “We are seeing a huge increase in malicious use of the AntiGravity backend, which has significantly degraded the quality of service for our users. We needed to find a way to immediately shut off access to these users who are not using the product as intended.”
