🔍 Research Assistant with OpenClaw

Complete tutorial to automate web research and information gathering

This tutorial will show you how to use OpenClaw (formerly Moltbot, Clawdbot) as a powerful research assistant. You'll learn to automate web research, gather information from multiple sources, analyze data, and create comprehensive research reports. Estimated time: 25-35 minutes.

What You'll Build

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have:

  • OpenClaw configured for web research
  • Automated research workflows
  • Information gathering and analysis capabilities
  • Research report generation

Prerequisites

Before starting:

Step 1: Enable Browser Automation

OpenClaw includes a dedicated Chrome/Chromium browser instance for web research. Ensure it's enabled:

Check Browser Status 
# Ask OpenClaw:
"Can you browse the web?"
"Check if browser automation is enabled"

OpenClaw's browser can navigate websites, extract data, fill forms, and interact with web pages automatically.

Step 2: Basic Research Queries

Start with simple research requests:

Example Research Requests 
"Research the latest developments in AI safety"
"Find information about quantum computing breakthroughs"
"Gather data on renewable energy trends"
"Search for best practices in software architecture"

OpenClaw will use its browser to search, read, and summarize information from multiple sources.

Step 3: Create Research Workflows

Build automated research workflows for recurring topics:

Weekly Research Automation 
{
  "cron": {
    "jobs": [
      {
        "schedule": "0 10 * * 1",
        "command": "agent --message 'Research the latest news in [your field]. Gather information from at least 5 sources, summarize key points, and create a markdown report with sources cited.'"
      }
    ]
  }
}

This creates a weekly research report every Monday at 10 AM.

Step 4: Multi-Source Research

Ask OpenClaw to research from multiple sources and compare information:

Comprehensive Research Request 
"Research [topic] from multiple sources:
1. Search academic papers
2. Check recent news articles
3. Review industry reports
4. Compare findings and identify consensus
5. Create a comprehensive report with citations"

OpenClaw can visit multiple websites, extract information, and synthesize findings.

Step 5: Data Extraction and Analysis

Extract structured data from websites:

Example: Price Comparison

  • "Compare prices for [product] across different websites"
  • "Extract specifications from product pages"
  • "Create a comparison table"

Example: News Monitoring

  • "Monitor news sites for [keyword]"
  • "Extract article titles and summaries"
  • "Send daily digest of relevant news"

Step 6: Research Report Generation

Create comprehensive research reports:

Research Report Request 
"Create a research report on [topic]:
- Executive summary
- Key findings from multiple sources
- Data analysis and trends
- Conclusions and recommendations
- Bibliography with all sources
Save as markdown file"

OpenClaw can format research into professional reports with proper citations.

Advanced Research Features

Explore advanced research capabilities:

  • Academic Research - Search academic databases and papers
  • Real-time Monitoring - Set up alerts for specific topics
  • Data Visualization - Create charts and graphs from research data
  • Fact-Checking - Cross-reference information across sources
  • Trend Analysis - Identify patterns and trends over time

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