After DeepSeek, China unveils Manus AI Agent: Here’s what it does and how it works

It seems like every other week, a new AI system is making waves in the tech world. Recently, DeepSeek caught everyone’s attention, and now another Chinese AI model called Manus is creating a buzz. Developed by a startup named Monica, Manus is being compared to some of the most advanced AI agents built by companies like OpenAI and Google. Let’s delve into the details of Manus.

What is Manus?

Manus is an AI agent designed to think, plan, and carry out tasks on its own. Whether you want to build a website, plan a trip, or analyse stock trends, Manus can do it all from a single prompt. It doesn’t just generate text; it actively works through tasks step by step, without needing constant input.

Launched earlier this month, Manus quickly gained global attention. In fact, Monica claims that Manus outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch on the GAIA benchmark.

Also read: DeepSeek data breach: A grim warning for AI security

Key features of Manus

• Autonomous task execution and real-time interaction: Once you give Manus a task, it continues working in the cloud, even if you turn off your device. For example, if you ask it to create a report on climate change, Manus will research, write, create visual elements, and package everything neatly without any further prompts. In a demo video, Manus was shown browsing websites, taking screenshots, and recording browsing activities. It even displayed its workflow live while planning a detailed Japan trip itinerary.
• Personalised learning: Like many modern AI systems, Manus learns from user interactions. Over time, it can tailor its outputs to better match individual preferences and needs.
• File creation: Manus can create various types of files, including PDFs, spreadsheets, and presentations, based on user requests. This makes it useful for both personal and professional projects.

Manus availability

Currently, Manus is available through an invitation-only web preview, and there is no official public release date yet. However, given the excitement around it, a wider rollout could happen soon.

It will be interesting to see how it evolves and competes with other big names in the AI space.