Frequently asked questions

Lobster Pack is an AI automation consultancy based in Vilnius, Lithuania. I help European small and mid-sized businesses figure out where AI agents can save time and money — and then I set them up. That might mean deploying OpenClaw on your servers, automating workflows, or simply advising you on whether AI is worth pursuing right now. It's a one-person operation backed by 15 years of engineering experience, including a decade at MIT Media Lab.

OpenClaw is an open-source AI assistant released in November 2025. It runs on your own hardware and can handle real tasks: managing email, updating your CRM, drafting documents, navigating websites, scheduling meetings, and more. It hit 248,000 GitHub stars within months. The reason it matters is that it's free, it's powerful, and your data never leaves your servers. That last part is a big deal for any business that cares about privacy.

ChatGPT is a chatbot — you type a question, it types an answer. OpenClaw is an agent. It can actually do things: open your browser, fill out forms, send emails, move files around, update spreadsheets. Think of ChatGPT as a person you can talk to, and OpenClaw as a person who can also use your computer. The other big difference: OpenClaw runs on your own machines, so your data stays private. With ChatGPT, everything goes through OpenAI's servers.

No. OpenClaw is the strongest open-source agent right now, so it comes up a lot. But the AI landscape moves fast. Claude Code is excellent for development tasks. Other tools are emerging every month. I'm not locked into one vendor — I'll recommend whatever fits your situation best. If a better tool comes out next week, I'll tell you about it.

Here are some real examples: sort and respond to routine emails, update your CRM after every client call, generate invoices and reports, schedule meetings across time zones, draft proposals from templates, monitor competitors' websites, and process incoming applications or orders. The common thread is repetitive work that follows patterns. If you or your team spend hours doing something predictable, there's a good chance an agent can handle it.

No. That's the whole point of self-hosted AI. When I deploy OpenClaw on your infrastructure, the model runs locally. Your documents, emails, and client data never leave your servers. Nothing gets sent to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, or anyone else. The models don't train on your information either — they're static software running on machines you control.

Yes, with proper configuration. Out of the box, OpenClaw is designed for single-user setups. For business use, I harden the deployment: access controls, network isolation, logging, permission boundaries so the agent can only touch what it's supposed to. I also set up monitoring so you can see exactly what the agent is doing at any time. It's open-source software with a huge community reviewing the code, which is generally safer than closed-source alternatives.

I take GDPR seriously — I'm based in the EU and subject to it myself. When I deploy AI tools for you, personal data stays on your infrastructure within the EU. I don't transfer client data to third countries. If the engagement involves processing personal data on your behalf, we'll sign a Data Processing Agreement. I can also help you with the data protection impact assessment (DPIA) that some AI deployments require under GDPR.

The EU AI Act is being phased in through 2026. Most business automation use cases — email sorting, CRM updates, document generation — fall into the minimal or limited risk category, which means lighter requirements. I stay current on the regulations and will flag anything that might affect your deployment. If your use case touches high-risk territory (like automated decision-making about employees or customers), we'll discuss compliance requirements before building anything.

An AI readiness assessment starts at EUR 900. A full deployment — where I install, configure, and integrate an AI agent into your workflow — starts at EUR 1,100. Monthly support retainers start at EUR 400/month. These are starting prices; the final cost depends on scope. I'll always give you a clear quote before work begins. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.

No. The deployment is a one-time project. Once it's set up and working, it's yours. Many clients do choose a support retainer because the AI landscape changes fast and they want someone keeping their setup current. But it's not required. You can always come back later if you need help.

Absolutely. The discovery call is free — 30 minutes, no obligation. We'll talk about your business, where you're spending time on repetitive work, and whether AI automation makes sense. If it doesn't, I'll tell you that. You can book a call here.

Bank transfers (SEPA), credit cards, and PayPal. All invoices are in euros. For fixed-price projects, it's 50% upfront and 50% on completion. Retainers are invoiced monthly. Nothing complicated.

For a basic OpenClaw deployment, you'll need a server or workstation with at least 16 GB of RAM and a modern CPU. For better performance, 32 GB of RAM and a GPU (even a mid-range one) make a noticeable difference. This can be a physical machine in your office or a cloud server you rent. I'll help you figure out the right setup for your workload and budget during the assessment.

Almost certainly. OpenClaw can interact with anything that has a web interface or an API. That includes Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, most CRMs (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive), accounting software, project management tools, and custom internal apps. During the assessment, I'll map out which of your tools can be automated and how.

A straightforward deployment — one AI agent handling a few workflows — typically takes 3 to 5 working days. More complex setups with multiple integrations, custom workflows, and team training can take 2 to 3 weeks. I'll give you a realistic timeline before we start. No one benefits from me underestimating the work.

If you're on a support retainer, you contact me directly and I fix it. Response time depends on your plan, but I aim for same-day responses for anything that blocks your work. If you're not on a retainer, you can still reach out — I'll help on an hourly basis. I also set up monitoring and alerts during deployment, so many issues get caught before you even notice them.