Manus AI
Let’s dissect this software to uncover its strengths and pinpoint its weaknesses.
China’s AI Boom & The Rise of Manus AI
The launch of Manus AI on March 6th, 2025, sent shockwaves across the AI industry. Within hours, the registration site crashed due to overwhelming traffic, forcing Butterfly Effect to limit access to invitation-only previews.
Some users were so desperate that scalpers began selling registration codes, turning Manus AI into an underground phenomenon.
This isn’t just about one AI model—China’s AI industry is experiencing an unprecedented surge. DeepSeek, the country’s hottest AI startup, had already shaken the global AI landscape in January with a powerful, cost-effective model. Manus AI is pushing that momentum even further, with tech giants like Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent all racing to integrate AI across their ecosystems.
What Makes Manus AI Different?
Unlike chatbots like ChatGPT or Claude 3, which rely on a single AI model, Manus AI operates as a multi-agent system, combining:
✅ Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet
✅ Alibaba’s fine-tuned Qwen models
✅ Independent AI agents that work autonomously
This enables Manus AI to break down and complete multi-step tasks with minimal user input, offering a more sophisticated, human-like AI assistant.
Real-World Testing: How Good Is Manus AI?
We put Manus AI to the test with three real-world tasks:
Task 1: Finding Top China Tech Reporters
Initial Output: A short list of 5 names lacking detailed information.
After Refinement: Expanded to 30 reporters, with complete bios and key publications.
✅ Result: Manus AI improved with feedback but struggled with paywalled content.
Task 2: Finding Two-Bedroom Apartments in NYC
Initial Output: Manus misinterpreted vague criteria, excluding properties without private outdoor space.
After Refinement: Provided a structured report with rankings (“Best Overall,” “Best Value,” “Luxury Option”).
✅ Result: Powerful for real estate research, but required additional fine-tuning.
Task 3: Nominating 50 Innovators Under 35
Initial Output: Manus only found three qualified candidates after 3 hours of searching.
After Refinement: It compiled a list of 50 names but struggled with academic sources.
Challenge: Limited access to paywalled research papers and proprietary databases.
Manus AI’s Strengths & Weaknesses
Where Manus AI Shines:
Intense research & data aggregation—excellent for structured information gathering.
Adaptability—improves significantly with user feedback.
Multi-agent architecture—uses different AI models for different tasks.
Transparent workflow—users can monitor its step-by-step process.
⚠️🚨 Where Manus AI Falls Short⚠️🚨
Server crashes & instability-high demand are causing system overloads.
Limited large-text processing—struggles with long-form content & multi-layered requests.
Access restrictions—encounters issues with paywalled content and CAPTCHA barriers.
Despite these issues, Manus AI’s per-task cost is 10 times lower than DeepResearch, making it an affordable and promising AI tool.
The Bigger Picture: China’s AI Mania Is Just Getting Started
📈 Chinese AI stocks are booming. Since DeepSeek’s rise in January, the Hang Seng Tech Index is up 40%, marking one of its strongest starts ever.
🏦 Massive investments are flooding into AI. The Chinese government recently announced a $140 billion AI investment fund, while Alibaba is spending $53 billion to expand its AI cloud services.
🖥️ AI hardware demand is skyrocketing. Companies scramble to secure Nvidia’s H20 AI chips before potential U.S. export restrictions tighten access.
But challenges remain:
China’s reliance on foreign semiconductors could limit future AI growth.
U.S. export controls on AI chips may increase costs and slow progress.
AI monetization strategies remain uncertain, with investors worried about long-term returns.
Final Verdict… Is Manus AI a Game-Changer?
Yes, but… it’s not ready for mass adoption.
Manus AI represents a significant leap forward in AI autonomy but still suffers server crashes, system instability, and content access issues.
More substantial infrastructure and better data access could revolutionize AI-powered automation for businesses.
Supporting Links & Case Studies
MIT Technology Review: Everyone in AI Is Talking About Manus – https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/03/11/everyone-in-ai-is-talking-about-manus/
Manus AI x Alibaba Partnership – https://www.reuters.com/article/manus-alibaba-partnership-2025/
China’s AI Stock Boom & DeepSeek’s Rise – https://www.economist.com/china/2025/03/06/the-deepseek-effect
Manus AI Official Discord (186,000+ Members) – https://discord.com/manusai
TechCrunch: In-Depth Analysis on Inception’s AI Model – https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/26/inception-emerges-from-stealth-with-a-new-type-of-ai-model/
Hume AI’s Octave vs. ElevenLabs in AI Voice Tech – https://analyticsindiamag.com/ai-news-updates/humes-octave-claims-to-outperform-elevenlabs-in-capturing-human-like-emotions-in-ai-voices/
Microsoft Phi-4: The Next Generation AI Model – https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/empowering-innovation-the-next-generation-of-the-phi-family/
OpenAI GPT-4.5 Breakthroughs – https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-4-5/
Amazon’s Alexa+ AI Enhancements – https://www.theverge.com/amazon-alexa/622172/amazon-alexa-plus-panos-panay-interview
Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet & Claude Code – https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-3-7-sonnet
The Future of AI Autonomy?
With its multi-agent AI system, Manus AI offers a glimpse into the future of autonomous AI assistants.
But the question remains: Will China’s AI dominance continue to rise, or will U.S. restrictions slow it down?
Drop your thoughts in the comments! ⬇️