What is Manus? A New Breakthrough in AI

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China is making waves in the AI space again. A new AI agent, Manus, has been launched by the startup Monica. This AI model is attracting global attention, much like the DeepSeek-R1 model released weeks earlier. Many are calling this moment ‘another DeepSeek event’ for China.

What Makes Manus Special?

Manus is not just another AI chatbot. It is being hailed as the world’s first general AI agent, capable of thinking, planning, and executing tasks autonomously.

Unlike traditional AI models, which mainly assist with answering questions or generating text, Manus is designed to complete real-world tasks. The AI can:

Build websites step by step.
Create detailed travel itineraries.
Analyze stock market trends.
Develop interactive coursework for schools.
Compare and analyze insurance policies.

According to its makers, Manus outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch on the GAIA benchmark, a test designed to assess AI assistants’ real-world problem-solving skills.

How Does Manus Work?

Manus is built for autonomy. Unlike other AI systems, it does not require constant supervision. Users can assign tasks, disconnect their devices, and Manus will continue working in the cloud. Once completed, it delivers the results seamlessly.

It also learns from user interactions, refining its approach over time. This makes it more personalized and efficient the more it is used.

Manus Goes Viral

The company shared a demo video of Manus on its official website, manus.im. The video showcased the AI agent’s ability to:

Interact with its environment.
Gather data from the internet.
Execute tasks independently.
Use multiple tools to accomplish objectives.
Showcase its workflow in real-time.

The video went viral in less than 20 hours. By Thursday noon, it had gained over 200,000 views, with users eagerly requesting invitation codes to test Manus themselves.

Who Is Behind Manus?

Not much is known about the startup Monica. However, the demo video was hosted by Peak Ji Yichao, a 33-year-old entrepreneur and tech enthusiast. He is known for creating Mammoth, a popular mobile browser.

Final Thoughts

With Manus setting a new standard for AI assistants, China continues to challenge AI giants like OpenAI, Google, and Meta. If its claims hold true, Manus could be a game-changer in the AI landscape.