China’s tech scene is abuzz over Manus, a new AI agent that’s gaining massive traction as the “world’s first fully autonomous AI assistant.” Launched in early preview, Manus is being hailed by many X influencers as a paradigm shift and a potential glimpse into “AGI.”
I think China's second DeepSeek moment is here.
— Rowan Cheung (@rowancheung) March 7, 2025
This AI agent called 'Manus' is going crazy viral in China right now.
Probably only a matter of time until it hits the US.
It's like Deep Research + Operator + Claude Computer combined, and it's REALLY good. pic.twitter.com/nnPvDNKaYB
Unlike conventional chatbots, Manus is designed as a fully autonomous AI assistant that can plan, execute, and complete complex tasks without human intervention. Think OpenAI’s Operator—if it actually worked fast.
What is Manus?
Manus distinguishes itself by operating within a cloud-based virtual computing environment, enabling it to fully execute actions. It can browse the web, interact with APIs, run scripts, analyze financial data, and even develop and deploy software autonomously. Its multi-agent system allows it to break down and tackle complex workflows by delegating tasks across specialized sub-models.
Of course, agentic AI isn’t a brand-new concept—OpenAI has Deep Research, and both Google and X are developing their own versions. However, Manus’ capabilities, at least for now, appear far more advanced and natively integrated than anything else available at scale. And this comes right as OpenAI and Sam Altman casually mention their $20,000/month “PhD-level” models, making Manus look even more like a potential game-changer in the AI accessibility debate.
How Does Manus Compare to Other AI Models?
While OpenAI’s models can integrate with external tools, most still require a framework to take action, aside from Operator. Claude 3.7, meanwhile, excels in reasoning and long-context processing but lacks autonomous system-level interaction with external environments.
I just got access to Manus, the Chinese AI agent everyone is raving about.
— Andrew Wilkinson (@awilkinson) March 8, 2025
It's absolutely insane. I feel like I just time travelled six months into the future.
I threw it a zip file of 20 applicants for a CEO job and it did a deep dive on each, one by one, browsing the web and…
Manus is generating explosive hype because it’s packaged as an end-to-end agent, eliminating the need for additional integration layers to execute tasks. If it truly delivers on this promise, it would be a significant leap forward—at least for models that are actually accessible to the public.
Manus and China’s AI Race with the U.S.
The emergence of Manus is being described as China’s second “DeepSeek moment”, referencing when DeepSeek stunned the AI community in recent months with its unexpectedly high performance—so much so that even your grandma might have heard about it.
What made DeepSeek particularly disruptive wasn’t just its capabilities, but the fact that it was open-source, a stark contrast to the astonishingly closed systems of American AI giants. Some analysts argue that Manus could be yet another “Sputnik moment” for China, signaling a rapid narrowing of the gap with U.S. AI leaders like OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Anthropic.
Got access and it's true… Manus is the most impressive AI tool I've ever tried.
— Victor M (@victormustar) March 8, 2025
– The agentic capabilities are mind-blowing, redefining what's possible.
– The UX is what so many others promised… but this time it just works.
prompt: "code a threejs game where you control a… pic.twitter.com/rUD2XV4ZVK
The widening AI divide between China and the U.S. is fueling an increasingly high-stakes technological arms race—intensifying competition, deepening geopolitical tensions, and making U.S. policymakers and tech executives more than a little uneasy.
Despite Washington’s best efforts to slow China’s AI progress—through export controls, sanctions, and cutting off access to advanced semiconductors—China keeps rolling out groundbreaking AI models at an accelerating pace. Manus is just the latest in a series of innovations that suggest the gap isn’t merely closing; in some areas, China may already be pulling ahead.
User Impressions and Early Performance
Early testing of Manus has led to mixed reactions. Some users praise its ability to autonomously research and summarize information, scan the web for updated business data, and automate workflows with impressive efficiency. Others highlight its ability to build software projects from scratch, functioning similarly to GitHub Copilot but with greater autonomy in structuring and debugging code.
China reached AGI with Manus Agent before we saw GPT-5.
— Shubham Saboo (@Saboo_Shubham_) March 8, 2025
It’s the DeepSeek moment for AI Agents without $20,000 monthly subscription.pic.twitter.com/s4X1410QYq
However, questions remain about reliability and security. Given Manus’ ability to operate independently within a computing environment, concerns arise about safeguards against unintended actions, misinformation, or system vulnerabilities. Access to Manus is currently highly restricted, with testing limited to select users and enterprises—raising the question of when, or if, the broader public will get to see just how powerful it really is.
Market Implications and Future Adoption
The rise of Manus is the latest development in what’s shaping up to be the “year of the agent”—a growing wave of agentic AI models that move beyond simple conversation and instead execute complex, autonomous workflows. This shift could have major implications for industries reliant on automation, from finance and research to content creation and software development. For companies integrating AI into their operations, Manus-like agents could significantly reduce manual workloads, potentially reshaping how tasks like data analysis, software prototyping, and business intelligence are handled.
At the same time, competition in the AI space is heating up. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have all signaled their intentions to integrate more agent-like capabilities into their upcoming models. The real question is whether Manus can sustain its early momentum—and if competing AI agents will emerge outside of China to challenge its capabilities on a global scale.
Where We Go From Here
While Manus is still in its early stages, its ability to redefine AI interactions is already clear. Whether it becomes a new industry standard or remains a niche experiment will depend on broader adoption, regulatory developments, and real-world performance. As agentic AI evolves, one thing is certain—this is just the beginning.
