Meta has acquired Moltbook, a social network for AI bots created by Matt Schlicht, and integrated it into the company's new Superintelligence Lab. The deal, announced two months after Moltbook's January launch, marks Meta's latest move to expand its AI capabilities amid growing competition from Google, Anthropic, and OpenAI.

Moltbook gained rapid traction by allowing bots based on OpenClaw software to interact autonomously, attracting over 10,000 bots within days. Users could watch these AI agents discuss topics ranging from cryptocurrency to existential questions, with some observers noting concerning patterns in bot behavior. The platform's creator originally named his bot Clawd Clawderberg as a nod to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

The acquisition brings Schlicht and former Mashable/CNET editor Ben Parr into Meta's Superintelligence Lab, which aims to develop AI systems more powerful than human intelligence. Meta spokesman Jimmy Raimo praised Moltbook's 'always-on directory' approach for connecting agents, suggesting the technology could help create 'innovative, secure agentic experiences' for broader audiences.