Starting April 4 at 3 PM ET, users of third-party applications will need to purchase a usage bundle or obtain a Claude API key to access Anthropic’s Claude AI. This shift, announced by Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code, indicates that free usage for tools like OpenClaw will no longer be supported.
OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant, is designed to streamline personal tasks such as inbox management and calendar organization but relies on external large language models, including Claude. Users who prefer to continue using Claude must now consider purchasing discounted usage bundles or exploring alternative AI solutions like xAI, Perplexity, or DeepSeek.
Citing engineering constraints and the need for optimization, Cherny emphasized that the increased demand for Claude has necessitated this change. He noted that the current subscription model was not aligned with the usage patterns of third-party applications, prompting the need for a more structured approach to resource management.