"Why I Didn't Join the OpenClaw Frenzy"
I was a typical example of a paid user who got burned in the early days of AI painting, around 2023.
When Midjourney first became popular, I gritted my teeth and subscribed for $30 a month, just for that one "/imagine" command. Adding servers, memorizing commands, waiting for the output—it was exciting for two days, but after all that effort, only a few images were generated. After that, I abandoned Discord and never opened it again.
I also subscribed to Digital Painting Master, which cost over two thousand yuan a year. The advertisement claimed "a domestic alternative, unlimited use, high-definition commercial use." Thinking I should support domestic products and avoid the hassle of VPNs, I paid without hesitation. But after using it twice, the interface was complicated, the prompts were difficult to adjust, and once the novelty wore off, my two thousand yuan was wasted.
OpenClaw is currently incredibly popular, with hundreds of thousands of stars on GitHub and it's all over the internet: local deployment, AI agents, computer control, automated task execution, future trends… Bloggers are hyping it up, it's being shared in groups, friends are recommending it, everyone's saying "If you don't learn it now, it'll be too late," "This is the next big thing."
In the past, I would have jumped on the bandwagon.
But this time, I'm calm. Because I know myself too well: I'm not buying a tool, I'm just jumping on the bandwagon of "I'm using cutting-edge AI too."
1. "Three-minute enthusiasm"—even the most powerful features can't save laziness.
Is Midjourney powerful? Yes. Artistic quality, lighting details—still top-tier in the industry.
Is Digital Painting Master bad? No. Direct connection in China, high-definition output, annual fee of over two thousand—considered top-tier back then.
But how many times have I used it? Three times at most.
Once the novelty wears off, I'm too lazy to open it, too lazy to explore it, too lazy to adjust the prompts. Even the most amazing features are useless if they just lie there. No matter how powerful OpenClaw is—able to automatically write code, organize files, control systems, and interface with drawing models—I might not even have the patience to open and deploy it. Even if I did install it, it would most likely be gathering dust in a corner after three days.
Paying for something you "might use in the future" is essentially paying an intelligence tax.
What I need isn't the most powerful AI, but an AI that I can consistently use at least three times.
2. Free AI is sufficient. I don't need to pay for "gimmicks." Now, I can open Doubao, use a single Chinese sentence, and generate an image instantly. Avatars, wallpapers, WeChat Moments images, simple posters—whatever you want, it's available, high-definition, free, no VPN required, no need to memorize commands, no server hassle. If I occasionally want to draw something more complex, there are plenty of free domestic tools with perfectly adequate quality.
I'm not a designer. What I need isn't the "industry ceiling," but something "readily usable and free." No matter how amazing OpenClaw is touted to be, for me, it's just another complex tool that requires learning, configuration, and tinkering. For my daily needs, free AI already satisfies me; there's no need to pay for "more advanced, more futuristic, more geeky" tools.
3. I'm not buying tools, I'm buying "anxiety." Back then, I bought Midjourney because I was afraid of falling behind if I didn't use it.
I bought DataDrawing Master because I was afraid of missing out on the rise of domestic AI if I didn't support it.
Now that OpenClaw is all the rage, I'm anxious again: "The era of AI agents has arrived; if I don't learn it, I'll be left behind."
But thinking about it calmly: Do I really need it?
I don't need Midjourney, and I still use my phone and get by.
I don't need DataDrawing Master; free tools still meet all my daily needs.
I don't need OpenClaw, and I still use my computer and do my work.
Many times, we pay not because we need the tool, but because we need the security of "keeping up with the times." But this security comes and goes quickly, leaving only a bunch of idle subscriptions and dusty software.
4. I'm not rejecting OpenClaw; I'm waiting for a user-friendly, affordable version of AI agents. Truly useful things are never something you "force yourself to use." I use Doubao every day because it's simple, free, and easy to use. I use free AI drawing tools every day because they require no brainpower, produce quick results, and meet my needs.
Good tools are indispensable, not something you "force yourself to learn."
Even if OpenClaw becomes popular, the barrier to entry for ordinary people remains: deployment, configuration, scripting, and skill development. Someone like me, who's too lazy to even use Midjourney three times, is destined not to stick with it.
I'm not pessimistic about AI agents; quite the opposite, I'm very much looking forward to it.
But what I'm waiting for is an AI that:
• No complicated deployment, just click and use
• No command line, no need to mess with the environment
• As simple as a dumpling, user-friendly
• Low cost, preferably free
Instead of wasting time, money, and energy joining a trend that's likely to gather dust, it's better to admit: I'm just an ordinary user. I don't need the most cutting-edge, geeky, or powerful AI. I just need a simple, cheap, easy-to-use tool that I can use long-term.
Finally,
I'm not saying OpenClaw is bad; it's powerful, futuristic, and worthy of geek research.
But for someone like me:
• I paid for Midjourney but used it less than three times
• I paid for a digital drawing master that cost over two thousand years, only to have it gather dust in the blink of an eye
• For ordinary people who are easily swayed by trends, have short-lived enthusiasm, and only pay for things they're anxious about, not joining the trend is the most cost-effective and sensible choice.
Free AI is already sufficient; it already meets my daily needs.
No more paying for anxiety, no more impulsive purchases driven by novelty.
This time, I choose to quietly watch OpenClaw dominate the headlines and continue using my free AI.
I'm waiting—waiting for a truly accessible intelligent agent for ordinary people, one that requires no tinkering and no exorbitant costs.
After all, what truly suits me isn't the most popular one, but the one I can consistently use.
