Break through your AI assistant's knowledge cutoff β search the internet in real-time, retrieve the latest information, and deliver accurate, well-sourced answers.
OpenClaw Web Search is one of the core built-in features of the OpenClaw AI assistant platform. It empowers the AI assistant with the ability to search the internet in real-time. Traditional AI models have a knowledge cutoff date and cannot access the latest information β OpenClaw Web Search completely solves this problem.
When you ask OpenClaw a question, the AI intelligently determines whether it needs to search the internet. If so, it automatically invokes the web_search tool, sends a query to the search engine, retrieves the latest results, integrates this information into the response, and cites the sources.
This means your AI assistant is no longer a "frozen knowledge" system, but an intelligent assistant that can continuously learn and update in real-time. Whether it's breaking news, the latest technical documentation, or real-time stock prices, OpenClaw Web Search can help you get it.
π Core Value: OpenClaw Web Search perfectly combines AI reasoning capabilities with real-time internet information, making AI responses both deep and timely β truly knowing both "what" and "why".
The OpenClaw Web Search workflow consists of the following steps:
| Search Engine | Features | API Key Required | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brave Search | Privacy-first, no tracking | β Yes (free tier) | General search, privacy |
| Bing Search | Microsoft, rich results | β Yes | General search, multilingual |
| Google Custom Search | World's largest search engine | β Yes | Global content search |
| DuckDuckGo | Privacy-focused, no key needed | β No | Quick search, privacy |
| Serper | Google results, low cost | β Yes | High-quality Google results |
Brave Search offers a free API tier and is the officially recommended search engine for OpenClaw:
plugins:
- name: web-search
config:
engine: brave
apiKey: "YOUR_BRAVE_API_KEY"
maxResults: 5
language: en-USplugins:
- name: web-search
config:
engine: bing
apiKey: "YOUR_BING_API_KEY"
maxResults: 5
market: en-USplugins:
- name: web-search
config:
engine: duckduckgo
maxResults: 5Ask "What are the important news stories today?" and OpenClaw will automatically search for the latest news, compile a summary of today's key events, and include source links for further reading.
Ask "What's the latest price for iPhone 16 Pro?" and OpenClaw will search multiple e-commerce platforms for current pricing information, helping you make informed purchasing decisions.
Developers can ask OpenClaw to search for the latest API documentation, technical specifications, or open-source project information. The AI extracts key information from official docs and explains it clearly.
Researchers can ask OpenClaw to search for relevant academic papers and research reports. The AI summarizes key findings and conclusions, helping you quickly understand the latest developments in a field.
Traditional search engines give you a list of links and let you read and filter them yourself. OpenClaw Web Search is different:
No. OpenClaw's AI intelligently determines whether a search is needed. For questions where the AI already has sufficient knowledge (like basic math or historical events), it answers directly. Only for questions requiring real-time information does it trigger a search.
OpenClaw Web Search retrieves information from multiple trusted sources and cites them in responses. The AI cross-validates search results and filters out obviously unreliable content. However, users are encouraged to independently verify important information.
It depends on your chosen search engine. Brave Search offers 2,000 free queries per month, and DuckDuckGo is completely free. Bing and Google Search APIs charge per use, but costs are typically very low.
OpenClaw Web Search is the key feature that makes your AI assistant truly "alive." It breaks through the AI knowledge cutoff limitation, enabling the AI to access real-time information and provide more accurate, timely responses. Configure OpenClaw Web Search today and connect your AI assistant to the live internet. Visit openclaw.ai to learn more.