Build Your AI Assistant on Telegram with OpenClaw

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use OpenClaw to connect MiniMax M2.1 to Telegram, creating your personal AI assistant that you can chat with anytime, anywhere.

What is OpenClaw?

OpenClaw (prev. Clawdbot) is an open-source AI Agent gateway that bridges popular messaging platforms with AI models. It allows you to chat with AI assistants directly from your favorite messaging apps.

Core Features

FeatureDescription
Multi-Platform SupportWhatsApp, Telegram, Discord, iMessage, and more via plugins
AI Agent BridgeConnect to coding agents like Pi with RPC mode and tool streaming
Multi-Agent RoutingRoute different accounts to isolated agents with separate workspaces
MiniMax IntegrationNative support for MiniMax M2.1 as a model provider

With OpenClaw and MiniMax M2.1, you can create a powerful AI assistant accessible from your pocket - just send a message and get intelligent responses anywhere, anytime.

Quick Start

This guide will walk you through setting up OpenClaw with Telegram and MiniMax M2.1.

Prerequisites

Part 1: Create a Telegram Bot

Step 1: Open Telegram

Create a Telegram account if you don't have one (phone number required).

Step 2: Find BotFather

Search and select @BotFather in Telegram. This is the official bot for creating and managing Telegram bots.

Step 3: Create Your Bot

Send /newbot to BotFather, then:

Step 4: Find UserInfoBot

Search and select @userinfobot in Telegram.

Step 5: Get Your Telegram ID

Send /start to @userinfobot. Save your Telegram ID for later use.

Part 2: Install and Configure OpenClaw

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

Run the following command in your terminal:

curl -fsSL https://molt.bot/install.sh | bash

Step 2: Start Setup Wizard

When prompted, select "Yes" to start the setup wizard.

Step 3: Select QuickStart Mode

Step 4: Select MiniMax Provider

When asked to choose a model provider, select "MiniMax".

Step 5: Select MiniMax M2.1 Model

Step 6: Enter API Key

Enter your MiniMax Coding Plan API Key. You can get it from Coding Plan Dashboard.

Step 7: Confirm Model Selection

Select "Keep current (minimax/MiniMax-M2.1)" to confirm your model choice.

Step 8: Select Telegram Channel

Choose "Telegram (Bot API)" as your messaging channel.

Step 9: Enter Bot Token

Enter the Telegram Bot token you saved from BotFather in Part 1.

Step 10: Confirm Installation

Select "Yes" when asked to confirm.

Step 11: Select Package Manager

Select "npm" as the package manager.

Step 12: Select Skills

Select any additional skills you wish to install (optional, use space to select).

Step 13: Configure API Keys

Configure additional API keys for tools that OpenClaw can use (optional).

Step 14: Skip Additional Config

Select "Skip for now" if you don't want to configure additional tools.

Step 15: Open Web UI

Select "Open the Web UI" to access the OpenClaw dashboard.

Part 3: Connect to Your Bot

Step 1: Find Your Bot

In Telegram, search and select the bot you created in Part 1.

Step 2: Start the Bot

Send /start to your bot. You should receive a message containing a pairing code.

Step 3: Approve Pairing

In your terminal, run the following command (replace <code> with the pairing code from the message):

clawdbot pairing approve telegram <code>

Step 4: Verify Connection

You should see a success message in both the terminal and Telegram.

Start Chatting!

Congratulations! Your AI assistant is now ready. You can start chatting with MiniMax M2.1 directly in Telegram.

Your OpenClaw-powered assistant can help you with:

Summary

In this tutorial, you learned how to:

With OpenClaw and MiniMax M2.1, you now have a personal AI assistant accessible from anywhere through Telegram.

Related Resources