How to Deploy Your Own AI Assistant with OpenClaw: Step-by-Step Tutorial

Deploying an AI assistant has traditionally been a complex undertaking. You need to pick a cloud provider, configure containers, set up networking, handle SSL certificates, manage secrets, and keep everything updated. OpenClaw eliminates all of that.

This tutorial walks you through deploying a production-ready AI assistant from start to finish.

Understanding the Architecture

Before diving in, it helps to understand how OpenClaw works under the hood:

• Compute layer — Each instance runs as an isolated Fly Machine with dedicated CPU, memory, and persistent storage
• Network layer — Automatic HTTPS with TLS certificates, deployed to the nearest edge region
• Security layer — API keys encrypted with AES-256, row-level database security, isolated containers
• AI layer — Direct connections to Anthropic and OpenAI APIs from your instance

Complete Deployment Steps

1. Create Your OpenClaw Account

Visit the sign-in page and authenticate with your Google account. OpenClaw uses Google OAuth 2.0 for secure, passwordless authentication.

2. Configure Your AI Provider

Navigate to Dashboard → API Keys and add your credentials:

For Anthropic Claude:

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Create an account or sign in
3. Navigate to API Keys and generate a new key
4. Copy the key (it starts with sk-ant-) and paste it in OpenClaw

For OpenAI GPT:

1. Go to platform.openai.com/api-keys
2. Sign in to your OpenAI account
3. Click “Create new secret key”
4. Copy the key (it starts with sk-) and paste it in OpenClaw

For more details, see our comprehensive API key documentation.

3. Select Your AI Model

OpenClaw supports several leading AI models. Here’s a quick comparison:

Model	Provider	Best For	Speed	Cost
Claude Sonnet 4.5	Anthropic	General use (recommended)	Fast	Medium
Claude Opus 4.6	Anthropic	Complex reasoning & analysis	Moderate	Higher
Claude Haiku 4.5	Anthropic	Quick responses, high volume	Very fast	Low
GPT-4.1	OpenAI	Strong general-purpose	Fast	Medium
GPT-4.1 Mini	OpenAI	Budget-friendly option	Very fast	Low

Read our detailed model selection guide for a deeper comparison.

4. Deploy

Click the Deploy button. Behind the scenes, OpenClaw:

1. Creates an isolated Fly Machine in the optimal region
2. Attaches persistent storage for your instance data
3. Injects your encrypted API keys securely
4. Configures HTTPS with automatic certificate management
5. Starts your AI assistant and verifies it’s healthy

You’ll see real-time deployment progress in your dashboard.

5. Verify Your Deployment

Once deployed, your instance status will show “Running” with a green indicator. Test your AI assistant by sending it a message directly from the dashboard.

Production Best Practices

Security

• Rotate your API keys periodically (every 90 days is a good practice)
• Use a dedicated API key for your OpenClaw instance — don’t share it with other services
• Enable two-factor authentication on your Anthropic and OpenAI accounts

Cost Management

• Start with Claude Haiku 4.5 or GPT-4.1 Mini for testing
• Set spending limits on your AI provider accounts
• Monitor your usage in the provider’s dashboard

Performance

• Choose the model that matches your use case — don’t default to the most expensive option
• For customer-facing bots, faster models provide a better user experience

Next Steps

Your AI assistant is live. Here’s what to do next:

• Connect your bot to Telegram for messaging access
• Explore the top 10 use cases for inspiration
• Browse the full documentation