Manus, an AI agent generally considered more advanced than a chatbot, can do everything from analysing the stock market to creating a personalised travel handbook for a trip with simple instructions from users, its website says.
- Rapid rise -
In a now viral introductory video posted online, co-founder Yichao “Peak” Ji hailed it as “the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration, and potentially a glimpse into AGI,“ referencing artificial general intelligence that aims to think the way humans do.
Its name comes from the Latin motto “Mens et Manus“, meaning “mind and hand” -- a nod to its integration of knowledge and practical application.
Manus is a “system that can carry out tasks autonomously on behalf of users”, said Manoj Harjani, a research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).
And while DeepSeek was quietly developed behind the scenes before rising to prominence, Manus is taking a different route -- limiting access to an invite-only beta and targeting enterprise-level clients, one analyst said.
She warned Manus may not cultivate the same broad appeal as DeepSeek, which built a large community through open-source engagement, if it continues to retain a closed ecosystem.
But it was able to complete more difficult tasks compared to its Chinese rival or ChatGPT, like creating custom websites.
And while DeepSeek said it was “programmed” to provide answers that toe the government line on topics considered politically sensitive in China, Manus was able to give accurate, non-censored responses.
It also gave a comprehensive answer when asked about allegations of human rights abuses by Beijing in Xinjiang.
“When discussing sensitive topics like historical events or human rights issues, I aim to provide balanced, objective information that helps users understand complex subjects,“ it added.
Next DeepSeek?
But Manus is unlikely to be the next DeepSeek as they are different types of AI applications, he added.
“If Manus can successfully address these issues... it could indeed be a major player in the enterprise automation space,“ she said.
“It is dealing with real world problems and executing real world tasks, which are diverse and complex,“ he told AFP.
Its success remains a “big question mark”.
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