A new artificial intelligence tool called Manus AI has emerged from China, capturing global attention since its launch on March 6, 2025. Developed by the Chinese startup Monica, Manus is being hailed as the world’s first fully autonomous AI agent. Unlike many existing systems, it doesn’t just provide answers—it takes action, completing complex tasks from start to finish without human oversight. Here’s what you need to know about this groundbreaking technology based on verified details.
What Is Manus AI?
Manus, named after the Latin word for “hand,” was unveiled through a demonstration video led by Monica’s co-founder and chief scientist, Ji Yichao. The AI is designed to bridge the gap between human intent and real-world execution. According to its official website, manus.im, it can autonomously handle tasks like planning a detailed trip itinerary, analyzing stock market trends, creating interactive educational materials, and comparing insurance policies. In one demo, Manus built a custom website step-by-step, showcasing its ability to browse, gather data, and deliver tangible results in real time.
The system operates using a multi-agent architecture, meaning it breaks down complex tasks into parts managed by specialized sub-agents. This allows it to tackle multi-step workflows seamlessly. It also works asynchronously in the cloud, continuing tasks even if a user disconnects, and notifies them when finished. Manus adapts to user preferences over time, improving its performance with continued use.
Performance Claims
Manus has made waves with its reported performance on the GAIA benchmark, a respected third-party measure of general AI assistants. The benchmark tests an AI’s ability to solve real-world problems by browsing the web, using tools, and reasoning through tasks. According to Monica, Manus achieved state-of-the-art results, surpassing previous leaders. While exact scores aren’t fully public, the company claims superiority across all three difficulty levels of GAIA, positioning it as a leader in autonomous problem-solving.
Real-World Capabilities
The demo video, which garnered over 200,000 views on X within a day of its March 5, 2025, posting, highlighted Manus’s practical applications. For example, when tasked with creating a Japan travel itinerary, it researched options, compiled a day-by-day plan, and displayed its workflow live. In another instance, it analyzed Tesla stock trends and produced a detailed report with visuals. Manus can also process files like resumes, cross-reference data with market trends, and generate optimized hiring recommendations complete with spreadsheets—all independently.
Its ability to interact with live websites, take screenshots, and produce downloadable files like PDFs and presentations sets it apart. Currently, Manus is available only through an invitation-only web preview, with demand so high that invite codes are reportedly selling for thousands of dollars on Chinese platforms like Xianyu.
Why It’s Making Headlines
Since its launch, Manus has sparked excitement and debate. Chinese media, such as QQ News, have called it “the pride of domestic products,” while its rapid rise mirrors the buzz around DeepSeek’s AI breakthroughs earlier in 2025. The AI’s autonomy—planning, executing, and delivering results without step-by-step human input—has led some to see it as a potential game-changer across industries like recruitment, finance, and education. However, its limited server capacity has restricted access, and Monica’s product partner, Zhang Tao, apologized on social media for underestimating public enthusiasm.
Looking Ahead
Monica has not announced a public release date but plans to open-source Manus, allowing developers to integrate it into their projects. As of now, its official X account was suspended on March 7, 2025, for violating platform rules, though the team is working to resolve this. With its bold claims and demonstrated capabilities, Manus AI is positioning itself as a transformative force in the global tech landscape, raising questions about the future of automation and human-AI collaboration.
Sources: Information is drawn from manus.im, news reports by Newsweek, Forbes, TechCrunch, and South China Morning Post, and posts on X, all dated between March 5-10, 2025.
