Creator Science Episode #291: 48 Hours With Clawdbot – How I’m Using It and Initial Reactions
Host: Jay Clouse
Date: January 27, 2026
Episode Overview
In this solo episode, Jay Clouse shares a detailed account of his first 48 hours experimenting with Clawdbot, an open source AI agent gateway for connecting large language models (LLMs) to messaging platforms and apps. Jay unpacks his setup process, early use cases, security considerations, and ongoing reflections as a non-technical user. The episode is rich with hands-on advice, transparent pros and cons, and forward-looking questions about the evolving relationship between creators, automation, and creativity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What is Clawdbot? (02:30)
- Definition: Clawdbot is "an open source AI agent gateway that connects large language models like Claude to messaging platforms and tools running on a server."
- Core Functionality: It can plug into LLMs and run on your machine (or in the cloud), executing tasks, accessing apps, or automating workflows via chat-based interaction.
- Accessibility: Jay emphasizes that while it sounds technical, recent tutorials make it increasingly approachable for non-engineers.
Quote:
“It made it seem both futuristic and interesting, but achievable for me as someone who I would say it’s very fair to call me non-technical.” (02:04 – Jay Clouse)
2. Discovery and Motivation (01:00)
- Jay discovered Clawdbot through Alex Finn’s video on X (formerly Twitter).
- He was intrigued by the idea of having an AI assistant in messaging apps that is both proactive and accessible.
Quote:
“After watching Alex’s video ... I thought, okay, let's give this a shot.” (02:00 – Jay Clouse)
3. Setup Process and Security Focus (07:00)
- Initial Steps: Inspired by technical creators, Jay explored video guides by Velvetshark and Neal Stephenson, favoring a “security first” approach.
- Environment: Instead of running Clawdbot on his personal machine, Jay set up a Virtual Private Server (VPS) on Hetzner.com, accessed only via a cleaned, dedicated laptop.
- Key Upside: It provides strong boundaries for what the AI can access, protecting personal files and credentials.
Quote:
“If you think about an AI assistant as a human assistant ... would you grant them access to your personal work computer and all of the documents, apps and things that are on it? Personally, for me, the answer was no.” (04:30 – Jay Clouse)
4. Integration with Apps and Workflows (11:00)
- Connected Tools: Notion, Oura Ring, Fathom, Dropbox, Google accounts (Sheets, Docs, Calendar), and email via APIs only (never direct credentials).
- Persistent Knowledge: Clawdbot maintains context and memory across documents and conversations, functioning like a highly customized, always-on assistant.
- Example Use Case: Jay uploaded all past blog posts and 300 podcast transcripts; Clawdbot can generate short-form content ideas proactively.
Quote:
“Now claudebot can reference any of my past writing, any of my past episodes ... it runs a weekly process to check and see, are there new transcripts, are there new essays?” (13:45 – Jay Clouse)
5. Proactive Automation and Daily Use (15:10)
- Morning Briefing: Clawdbot curates a personalized X (Twitter) feed, delivers trending threads, analyzes Oura scores, and provides content ideas each morning.
- Shortcut Integration: Jay uses an Apple shortcut to instantly access Clawdbot via Telegram, increasing accessibility.
- Reflection: While excited, Jay wonders if he’s becoming too absorbed in productivity at the expense of presence.
Quote:
“I’ve spent a lot of time talking to it now and because it is so accessible … has that made me more productive or has it made me actually less present? We'll see.” (19:00 – Jay Clouse)
6. Practical Use Cases After 48 Hours (21:00)
- Guest Research: Structured, sourced prep docs for upcoming podcast interviews.
- Content Repurposing: Auto-generating short-form drafts from long-form transcripts and essays.
- Fitness Tracking: Logging gym sessions through voice and having Clawdbot complete and analyze Google Sheets weekly.
- Writing Coaching: Analyzing writing voice compared to admired authors, providing personalized exercises and feedback.
- Action Items Extraction: Summarizing meeting transcripts and chats, pulling action points and even community testimonials automatically.
Quote:
“It did that in moments. And it also pulled testimonials from the chat call ... which was so awesome.” (24:17 – Jay Clouse)
7. Security, Risks, and Recommendations (29:00)
- Ongoing Practices: Frequent security scans, limiting Clawdbot’s access, using only APIs and not direct logins, and asking it to audit itself against new threats.
- Main Threats: Code injection and exposure via web browsing or excessive machine permissions.
- Best Practice: Use a VPS, not a personal device.
Quote:
“The biggest threat seems to be code injection … which is why I just don't give it access to my personal machine or give it any of my personal login credentials. It's all API access.” (32:00 – Jay Clouse)
8. Looking Forward: Evolution, Limitations, and Philosophy (36:00)
- Future Use: Hopes to automate more parts of content production (e.g., show notes, research curation), but will continue to use Claude Desktop app for some tasks.
- Integration Challenges: Some functions (like YouTube Watcher) are limited due to VPS restrictions.
- Creator Philosophy: Importance of maintaining human craft amid effortless AI generation; distinguishing between outsourcing busywork and fundamental skill development.
- Content Shifts: Jay argues that longform, effortful, human-centered content remains highly valued even as AI summarizes or proliferates bite-sized content.
Quote:
“At the end of the day, anything with AI … you’ve got to ask yourself what am I outsourcing here and am I outsourcing difficult things that I want to get better at?” (43:45 – Jay Clouse)
9. Should You Use Clawdbot? Advice & Considerations (47:00)
- Technical Skill Needed: Some comfort with terminal/command line is important, though LLMs can assist step by step.
- Hosting Choice: VPS is safest; Mac Mini is convenient but potentially less secure; running on a personal computer is not recommended.
- Personal Boundaries: Jay avoids connecting sensitive data like email or banking; prioritizes gradual, security-conscious integration.
Quote:
“If you don’t want that on your mind, maybe don’t use claudebot ... If your systems are working, just keep using them, you know. But if you’re drawn to it and want to try stuff out, try it out. Who am I to stop you?” (50:40 – Jay Clouse)
10. The Changing Role of Content and Creators (54:00)
- Content Types that Endure: Jay outlines five types of content he values and predicts will maintain relevance:
- Longform writing (books, essays)
- Effortful, human art
- Demonstrations (how-to, live process content)
- Unique experience-based interviews
- “Good hangs” or content from creators you enjoy spending time with
- Reflection: Creators should focus on making content people want to experience fully, not just compress for information.
Quote:
“Maybe we need to find ways to show up that people don’t want to compress that experience and they want to experience it fully. That’s partially why I’m really excited about ... writing long form and books, frankly.” (58:15 – Jay Clouse)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “The learning curve is real … 24 hours is also not a huge cost to get this going.” (31:45)
- “The future belongs to people who have distribution.” (52:10)
- “AI gives me more time back to read more, write more, practice my writing, I think I’m comfortable letting it write some short form for me.” (45:50)
- “Will this replace members of my team? I don’t think so. I do think it will displace some of the work on their plates and give them more time back.” (46:45)
- “If you want a plug-and-play, user-friendly solution, this is still pretty DIY, still pretty hacky.” (49:00)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 01:00 – Discovery of Clawdbot & first impressions
- 04:30 – Security thinking: Why a VPS matters
- 11:00 – Integrating Clawdbot with productivity tools
- 15:10 – Morning briefings and workflow automations
- 19:00 – Reflections on productivity vs. presence
- 21:00 – Specific Clawdbot use cases (content, fitness, writing)
- 29:00 – Security, vulnerabilities, and advice for setup
- 36:00 – Ongoing use, limitations, and philosophy of automation
- 47:00 – Should you implement Clawdbot? Technical, practical, and ethical considerations
- 54:00 – The changing value of content and what endures amid automation
- 58:15 – Jay’s closing reflections on sustainable creativity
Final Takeaways
Jay’s 48-hour experiment with Clawdbot exemplifies the promise and complexity of integrating AI deeply into a creator’s workflow. The benefits—proactive automation, research support, content repurposing, and persistent knowledge—are considerable, but come with real setup, security, and philosophical considerations. For creators with technical curiosity and strong boundaries, Clawdbot (or similar AI tools) could become a powerful asset. The bigger challenge for creators, however, remains: how to use new tools responsibly, without outsourcing the core skills and authentic expression that make great content, and great creators, worth following.
For links, guides, or follow-up questions, Jay invites listeners to connect @jayclouse on social or check the show notes (which Clawdbot will help curate!).