In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, a new player has emerged from China, capturing the attention of tech enthusiasts and industry leaders alike. The general AI agent, named Manus, has been making waves since its launch by the Wuhan-based startup Butterfly Effect. Despite its recent debut, Manus has already sparked conversations worldwide, with notable figures such as Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey and Hugging Face product lead Victor Mustar praising its capabilities.

Manus is touted as the world’s first general AI agent, standing out from typical AI chatbots like DeepSeek by employing multiple AI models and independently operating agents. This allows it to act autonomously across a wide range of tasks. However, while the hype is palpable, access remains limited, with less than 1% of waitlisted users receiving an invite code. The Manus Discord channel, however, indicates significant interest, boasting over 186,000 members.

In an exclusive review by the MIT Technology Review, Manus was likened to a highly intelligent and efficient intern. It occasionally stumbles with understanding tasks or makes incorrect assumptions but compensates with adaptability and clarity in its reasoning. The AI’s potential is undeniable, though it is not without its flaws.

The review highlighted three tasks to test Manus’s capabilities:

• Compiling a list of notable reporters covering China tech
• Searching for two-bedroom properties in New York City
• Nominating candidates for the Innovators Under 35 list

Manus excelled in tasks with openly available and well-structured information but struggled with accessing paywalled content and processing large text chunks.

Manus’s transparency and collaborative nature were praised, as it actively engages users with questions and retains instructions for future tasks. However, system crashes and server overloads were noted, issues that the Manus team is reportedly addressing. Despite these challenges, Manus’s cost efficiency—at about $2 per task, a fraction of DeepResearch’s cost—could make it a preferred choice for individual users and small teams once infrastructure improvements are made.

The emergence of Manus underscores the innovative strides Chinese AI companies are making, not merely following Western counterparts but shaping AI adoption in their own right. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, Manus represents a promising glimpse into the future of autonomous AI agents.