Google and Meta Ramp Up Personal AI Efforts Against OpenAI

Google and Meta Intensify Their Efforts in Personal AI

Google and Meta are in a race to develop personal artificial intelligence (AI) agents capable of autonomously managing daily tasks. This initiative aims to catch up with the lead taken by companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Google has discontinued a previous agent project to pursue this ambition.

Google is currently testing a personal AI agent codenamed "Remy," integrated into an employee version of the Gemini app. This agent connects to other Google services and is designed to be available 24/7, capable of answering questions and completing tasks autonomously while proactively monitoring relevant activities and learning user preferences over time. Google has declined to comment on these developments.

Google Aims to Compete with OpenClaw

Google does not yet have a widely available autonomous agent product, but Remy could change that. The concept of Remy is similar to OpenClaw, an agent framework that made waves earlier this year. OpenAI notably recruited Peter Steinberg, the creator of OpenClaw, in February.

Meanwhile, Google ended Project Mariner, a browser agent project, on May 4, 2026. Employees had already been reassigned from the Mariner team to work on a response to OpenClaw. The technology from Mariner has been integrated into Gemini Agent. Agents are expected to be a focal point at Google's I/O event this month.

Meta Bets on "Hatch" and a Shopping Tool

Meta is also developing its own competitor to OpenClaw, an agent called "Hatch," as well as a shopping tool for Instagram. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pushing for products that can generate returns on Meta's massive investments in AI.

Hatch is expected to enter internal testing by the end of June. Meta has created isolated web environments to train the agent on simulations of real sites like DoorDash, Etsy, and Reddit. Currently, Hatch uses Anthropic's Claude models, but Meta plans to switch to its own Muse Spark model at launch.

The shopping tool is set to be integrated into Instagram before the fourth quarter, allowing users to click on a product in a Reel, learn more, and complete the purchase without leaving the platform, directly competing with TikTok Shop.

Meta Strengthens Its Internal Capabilities

Hatch partly represents a fallback strategy for Meta. The company had attempted to hire Steinberg from OpenClaw, but was unsuccessful against OpenAI. Additionally, the acquisition of the Chinese AI agent Manus by the company in December must be canceled by order of China's National Development and Reform Commission.

Zuckerberg has made agents a priority, stating during the earnings call that Meta's goal is to create agents that understand user objectives and work tirelessly to help them achieve those. The company has increased its AI infrastructure spending to $145 billion for this year.

Anthropic and OpenAI Leading the Race

While Google and Meta are still in testing phases, Anthropic and OpenAI are already well ahead. Anthropic has two agent products on the market with Claude Code and Claude Cowork. OpenAI is also leveraging Steinberg's work alongside its coding agent Codex and a future "super app." Microsoft is using Anthropic's technology for its Copilot Cowork.

The market for browser agents has faded, with Google's Mariner disappearing and OpenAI's Atlas remaining a niche product. The trend is shifting towards personal agents integrated into emails, calendars, office tools, and shopping platforms, where Remy and Hatch are looking to establish themselves.