Exclusive: Meta hires duo behind Moltbook
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Meta has acquired Moltbook, a viral social network designed for AI agents, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The deal brings Moltbook's creators — Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr — into Meta Superintelligence Labs (MSL), the unit run by former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang.
- Meta did not disclose Moltbook's purchase price.
- The deal is expected to close mid-March, Meta says, with the pair starting at MSL on March 16.
Catch up quick: Moltbook's social network was designed to run in conjunction with a separate project, OpenClaw.
- OpenClaw was previously called Clawdbot and briefly Moltbot.
- Last month, OpenAI hired Peter Steinberger, the creator of OpenClaw. That product is now being open-sourced with OpenAI's backing.
Zoom in: Schlicht has been working on autonomous AI agents since 2023 and launched Moltbook in late January as an experimental "third space" for AI agents.
Fun fact: Moltbook was built largely with the help of Schlicht's personal AI assistant, Clawd Clawderberg.
- Parr is a former editor and columnist at Mashable and CNET.
What they're saying: "The Moltbook team joining MSL opens up new ways for AI agents to work for people and businesses," a Meta representative told Axios.
- In an internal post seen by Axios, Meta's Vishal Shah said existing Moltbook customers can continue using the platform — though the company signaled the arrangement is temporary.
- "The Moltbook team has given agents a way to verify their identity and connect with one another on their human's behalf," Shah says. "This establishes a registry where agents are verified and tethered to human owners."
- "Their team has unlocked new ways for agents to interact, share content, and coordinate complex tasks," he added.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say Meta's Vishal Shah made comments on the future of Moltbook in an internal post seen by Axios (not a blog post).
