Anthropic Policy Shift: Claude Code Subscribers Now Pay Extra for OpenClaw Usage

AI company Anthropic has implemented significant changes to the service terms for its coding assistant, Claude Code. According to a customer email, starting 12:00 PM Pacific Time on April 4, Claude Code subscribers will no longer be able to use subscription allowances to access third-party tools such as OpenClaw. Instead, users must purchase extra usage through a separate pay-as-you-go option.

Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code at Anthropic, explained the update on social platform X, stating the company's "subscription model was not designed for these third-party tool usage patterns." He noted the move aims to "consciously manage our growth to serve customers sustainably long-term." This policy adjustment follows OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger joining Anthropic's competitor OpenAI, with the OpenClaw project continuing as open-source under OpenAI's support.

Industry observers highlight that this pricing tweak signals a shift: advanced AI agent features may no longer be treated as simple add-ons to core products, but as independently valued modules. It reflects AI firms refining resource and business model management to suit diverse user needs. As the AI assistant ecosystem evolves, commercial ties between providers and third-party integrations are expected to grow more defined and complex.