Manus, the first fully autonomous AI agent in the world

China appears to be preparing for another significant turning point in the AI arms race, just weeks after the Chinese AI startup DeepSeek created a stir with its DeepSeek-R1 model. Manus, an artificial intelligence (AI) agent, was released by Monica, another startup. Similar to DeepSeek, Manus is currently receiving a lot of interest from people all over the world. It has already been dubbed “yet another DeepSeek moment” for China by several newspapers.

According to reports, Manus is attracting attention because of its capacity to manage challenging real-world jobs. Currently accessible as an invitation-only web preview, the AI agent may carry out useful activities like building websites by following a methodical procedure. A demonstration video of the AI agent has been posted by the company on its official website, manus.im. After its preview was released, the AI agent reportedly went viral in less than 20 hours. 

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Manus: What is it?

Manus is said to be the first genuinely general AI agent in history. According to reports, the AI agent has proven its powers, including the ability to plan, think, and carry out activities on its own, producing comprehensive results, etc. According to the website, the Manus AI agent can also create an itinerary for a vacation to Japan, analyze various insurance policies, provide a thorough stock analysis, and provide interactive coursework for teachers. Based on the GAIA benchmark, a third-party metric used to evaluate generic AI assistants, the business claims that Manus can also perform better than OpenAI’s DeepResearch. 

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The creators claim that Manus AI was created to carry out intricate tasks in a variety of industries. Its asynchronous cloud-based capability, which enables users to detach their devices and assign them tasks, and autonomous operations are its unique qualities. According to the creators, Manus continues to function in the cloud even after being disconnected and produces results when it is finished. Over time, the AI agent adjusts to the user’s preferences, improving performance, personalization, and usage.

By Wednesday evening, the company posted the demo video on X, and by Thursday at midday, it had received over 200,000 views. Several users were observed asking for invitation codes. Similar enthusiasm around DeepSeek R1, DeepSeek AI’s model, which was purportedly produced at a fraction of the price of the frontier models by OpenAI, Meta, Google, and others, a few weeks ago.

According to the demonstration, Manus was observed interacting with its surroundings, collecting information, carrying out activities, visiting websites, using a variety of tools, and showcasing its operation in real time. Since Manus first appeared online, many people have shared videos of its astounding performances. In one of the demonstrations, the AI agent is seen managing fifty screens at once. The AI bot is demonstrating an unprecedented level of automation by simultaneously using multiple web platforms, including Telegram, X, and many more.

There aren’t many specifics about the business yet. However, Peak Ji Yichao, a 33-year-old Chinese computer enthusiast and entrepreneur who is credited with creating the Mammoth mobile browser, posted the demo video.

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How is Manus AI used?

It’s quite easy to get started with this new AI. One can start with a prompt, just like any other AI chatbot. For instance, describe a seven-day trip to Bali with a certain spending limit. Manus investigates and gathers information in response to the prompt, producing organized output instantly. Manu AI can actively search the web for information and create files. It can capture screenshots, interact with online pages in real time, and even log surfing history for subsequent analysis.

A new era of browsing powered by AI?

The rapid release of AI-powered browsers by IT giants indicates a trend in the industry toward intelligent web navigation. Given that it provides a more user-friendly, potent, and affordable substitute for current technologies, Manus AI appears to be a new dimension in this movement.

The way we use the internet may be altered by Manus AI’s capacity to perform deep web research, generate files, and automate a variety of online functions. Given how quickly Chinese AI is developing, Manus may be the next big thing in AI-driven automation.

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