China’s New AI ‘Manus’ Stuns Tech World – A Glimpse into AGI?

A new artificial intelligence tool named Manus is making headlines in China, raising hopes that it could match or even surpass the success of DeepSeek—the AI chatbot that disrupted the global tech landscape earlier this year.

Developed by Butterfly Effect, Manus is positioned as a more advanced AI agent capable of autonomous task execution, far beyond the capabilities of traditional chatbots.

Rapid Growth and Exclusive Access

Manus debuted last week and has already garnered significant attention. Co-founder Yichao “Peak” Ji described it as “the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration” and even hinted at its potential as a step toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). Despite being in an invite-only beta phase, its official Discord server has surpassed 170,000 members.

The name Manus derives from the Latin phrase “Mens et Manus”, meaning “mind and hand,” symbolizing the tool’s ability to merge knowledge with practical application.

How Manus Differs from Chatbots

Unlike DeepSeek and ChatGPT, which rely on prompt-based interactions, Manus is designed to perform tasks autonomously. Experts describe it as a system that can book tickets, sort resumes, and handle complex queries independently. However, early testers noted that while it was slower than DeepSeek in generating responses, it could handle more complex tasks, such as custom website creation.

Controversial Approach to Sensitive Topics

A surprising aspect of Manus is its uncensored responses to politically sensitive topics in China. Unlike DeepSeek, which follows government-approved narratives, Manus provided detailed accounts of events like the Tiananmen Square crackdown and human rights allegations in Xinjiang. The AI stated that it does not “intentionally censor factual information” and aims to offer balanced, objective insights.

Experts suggest that this may be because Manus is focused on task execution rather than content moderation. However, this raises questions about whether it will face regulatory scrutiny in China.

Can Manus Become the Next DeepSeek?

Industry analysts remain uncertain about Manus’s future. While its advanced capabilities could make it a major player in enterprise automation, challenges such as scalability, computational demands, and regulatory concerns could impact its growth.

Marina Zhang, an associate professor at the University of Technology Sydney, noted that Manus’ closed ecosystem and invite-only model could limit its widespread adoption. Furthermore, technical stability and ethical considerations must be addressed before it can reach DeepSeek’s level of success.

For now, Manus remains a work in progress, with its future trajectory still unclear. Whether it can emerge as a groundbreaking AI tool or fade into obscurity remains an open question.