The AI landscape is abuzz with the emergence of Manus, an autonomous agent that’s being hailed as a game-changer. Developed by Chinese startup Monica, Manus is being touted as the world’s first truly general AI agent. But what makes it so special, and is it worth the hype?
What Sets Manus Apart?
Manus is more than just a chatbot or AI assistant. It’s designed to plan, execute, and deliver results, making it an AI-powered intern that can tackle a wide range of tasks. From writing code and browsing websites to analyzing data and summarizing information, Manus is positioned as a Universal Hand that can actively use knowledge to produce real-world results.
The philosophy behind Manus is simple: AI shouldn’t just store knowledge, it should actively use it to produce results in the real world. This approach is a significant departure from traditional AI assistants, which can answer questions, generate text, or offer coding suggestions, but ultimately rely on humans to execute tasks.
The Multi-Agent Structure: How Manus Works
Manus’s advanced capabilities are rooted in its multi-agent structure. This means that it breaks down tasks into multiple subtasks, with different AI sub-agents handling distinct parts of the process. This teamwork enables Manus to handle complex, multi-step processes with ease.
For instance, when tasked with analyzing a company’s financial performance, Manus’s sub-agents might work together as follows:
- Task Planning: One agent decides how to approach the problem, identifying the necessary data sources and analysis techniques.
- Data Collection: Another agent gathers the required financial data from various sources, such as annual reports, financial statements, and industry benchmarks.
- Analysis: A third agent applies various analysis techniques, such as ratio analysis, trend analysis, and statistical modeling, to identify key trends and insights.
- Reporting: A fourth agent compiles the findings into a clear, concise report, complete with visualizations and recommendations.
This division of labor enables Manus to tackle complex tasks efficiently and effectively, freeing up humans to focus on higher-level tasks that require creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.
Real-World Applications: What Can Manus Do?
Manus is delivering complete workflows across various domains, including:
1. Real Estate Analysis
Manus can systematically search online for safety data, look up property prices, and compile a polished report with recommended properties. For instance:
- A user wants to buy a house in New York with a safe neighborhood, good school district, and a price that matches their budget.
- Manus searches online for safety data, looks up property prices, and does budget calculations using Python scripts.
- Manus compiles a report with recommended properties, complete with visualizations and maps.
2. Stock Market Analysis
Manus can gather historical data, run technical analysis scripts, and generate visual dashboards to show trends and insights. For example:
- Traders test Manus by asking it to analyze Tesla’s stock.
- Manus gathers historical data, runs technical analysis scripts, and generates visual dashboards to show trends and insights.
3. Automated Business Research
Manus can scrape public directories, organize data into Excel sheets, and sort companies based on funding and industry. For instance:
- A user needs a list of B2B companies from YC’s Winter 2025 batch.
- Manus scrapes public directories, organizes the data into an Excel sheet, and sorts companies based on funding and industry.
4. Travel Planning
Manus can find the best flight deals, book accommodations based on preferences, and plan a sightseeing itinerary. For example:
- A user wants to plan a trip to Japan in April.
- Manus finds the best flight deals, books accommodations based on preferences, and plans a sightseeing itinerary.
5. Educational Content Creation
Manus can generate slides and quizzes, create animated simulations, and package everything into an easy-to-use format. For instance:
- A middle school teacher asks Manus to create an interactive physics lesson on momentum.
- Manus generates slides and quizzes, creates an animated simulation, and packages everything into an easy-to-use format.
The Insane Demand for Manus
So why is everyone going crazy over this AI agent? It all started on March 6, 2025, when Monica launched an early preview for Manus. The response was nothing short of insane. People stayed up all night just to grab an invitation code, and within hours, the black market for invites exploded.
Some resellers were flipping invitation codes for as much as 100,000 Yuan (~$14,400), with most codes going for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The demand was so high that Monica’s servers couldn’t keep
The People Behind Monica
Monica was founded by Xiao Hong, a serial entrepreneur and graduate of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (2015). The company’s chief scientist, G. Zhao, did a demonstration video that racked up hundreds of thousands of views in just 20 hours. Another co-founder, Zanga, confirmed that server limitations are the main reason for restricted invites.
In 2024, Tencent Ventures and Zen Fund invested in Monica, signaling serious financial backing.
Benchmarking Success: Manus Outperforms OpenAI
Manus has reportedly achieved state-of-the-art performance on the Gaia Benchmark, surpassing OpenAI’s Deep Seek on all three levels of difficulty. While specific benchmark details remain undisclosed, this achievement has generated significant excitement and skepticism.
The Future of AI Agents: Can Manus Scale?
As the AI landscape continues to evolve, the question remains whether Monica can scale Manus fast enough to stay ahead of competitors. With tech giants like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic working on AI agents, the market for automation is poised for significant growth.
According to Gartner, at least 21% of enterprises had adopted AI agents by January 2024, and that number is expected to exceed 80% by 2026. If Manus delivers on its promises, it’s tapping into a massive market for automation.
Is This China’s “Sputnik Moment” for AI?
Chinese media is calling Manus a “GPT moment”, similar to how ChatGPT shook the world in late 2022. Some have even compared it to Deep Seek’s breakthrough in January 2025. The AI space in China has seen multiple advancements, from large language models to general AI agents, and Manus seems to be another big leap.
The Road Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
As Manus continues to generate buzz, several challenges and opportunities come to mind:
- Scalability: Can Monica scale Manus to meet the demands of a rapidly growing user base?
- Competition: How will Manus fare against competing AI agents from tech giants and startups alike?
- Regulation: What regulatory frameworks will govern the development and deployment of general AI agents like Manus?
- Ethics: How will Manus address concerns around bias, fairness, and transparency in its decision-making processes?
Final Thoughts: Is Manus the Real Deal?
Manus has undoubtedly shaken the AI world, and its capabilities go far beyond what we’ve seen from chatbots. Whether it’s the real future of AI or just a well-marketed hype train remains to be seen. One thing is certain, however: Manus is an AI agent worth keeping an eye on.
As we continue to explore the frontiers of AI, it’s essential to separate hype from reality. Manus may not be perfect, but it represents a significant step forward in the development of general AI agents. Whether it will live up to its promises and revolutionize the way we work and live remains to be seen.