Chinese startup Manus has recently unveiled what it claims to be the world’s first fully autonomous AI agent. Officially introduced on March 5, 2025, Manus, derived from the Latin word meaning 'hand,' seeks to transform complex problems and ideas directly from user input—effectively revolutionizing the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence.
Yichao "Peak" Ji, Chief Scientist for Manus, describes the technology as "more than just another chatbot or workflow. It’s a truly autonomous agent... We see it as the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration and potentially a glimpse of AGI,” or artificial general intelligence.
Manus operates as what experts term a 'multi-agent system,' utilizing several distinct AI models to execute tasks independently. Unlike traditional AI chatbots, which may respond to queries but rely heavily on human intervention, Manus autonomously handles complex tasks including market research and data analysis.
For example, if tasked with finding real estate options, Manus doesn’t stop at merely returning listings. It also evaluates crime rates, assesses market trends, and assesses nearby schools, delivering comprehensive recommendations. This feature could significantly benefit users seeking new apartments or homes, showcasing Manus's potential for real-world applications.
Manus can even screen job applications, ranking candidates based on specified criteria, and can create spreadsheets summarizing the data it processes. Users have reported positive experiences, with several tasks being completed efficiently and accurately, often described as if having someone else perform the work upon their request.
Testing and demonstration videos released by the team displayed Manus's impressive capabilities. It was shown performing multiple tasks simultaneously and generating documents from real-time web data. Manus can operate asynchronously, allowing users to set it tasks and walk away, returning to completed work without needing to supervise the process.
Its rapid ascent has ignited discussions about data privacy and security, concerns raised by observers worried about Manus's operational framework and potential data transfers due to its origins. "From a data protection perspective, the key questions are: Where are its servers located? Is there any corporate affiliation to China?" noted AI and privacy expert Luiza Jarovsky.
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding Manus's capabilities, skepticism exists about the reality of its performance. Early testers like TechCrunch’s Kyle Wiggers found some results underwhelming, with critiques ranging from slow execution to output quality not meeting expectations. "Some early testers have found its performance disappointing," highlighted Axios, reflecting general caution amid the excitement.
Manus is currently available through invitation-only testing, with high demand leading to reported instances of access codes being sold on secondary markets. Zhang Tao, Manus AI’s product partner, acknowledged this challenge, attributing the invite-only nature to limited server resources, which had not anticipated the swift public interest.
The backdrop of Manus’s release resonates with the larger discourse surrounding AI advancements, particularly the competitive climate between international sectors. The debut of Manus has ignited speculation about whether it marks China’s second major breakthrough similar to the hype around DeepSeek earlier this year. "It looks like Manus AI presents itself as a Chinese company maintaining a legal entity elsewhere," remarked Jarovsky.
This has prompted both excitement and wariness among AI industry observers, particularly concerning the broader questions of AI capabilities and ethical use. Advocates argue for the real-world applications and efficiencies such agents might provide, contrasting against the cautionary tales of potentially hazardous misuse or over-reliance on automated systems.
While Manus's developers tout it as setting new benchmarks alongside other leading AI tools, including OpenAI’s Deep Research, the outcome of this launch remains to be fully evaluated over time. If successful, Manus could pave the way for new standards and practices within the AI sector; if it falters, it may serve as yet another cautionary tale.
For now, the public waits to see whether Manus will deliver on the promise of autonomy and performance it claims, learning whether it truly is the next leap forward for AI or simply another overhyped product.