Today, a wave of excitement has swept through the AI community. A product called Manus, accompanied by an all-English promotional video and an invite-only release mechanism, has rapidly captured widespread attention. Developed by a Chinese team, this AI Agent is officially touted as the “world’s first general-purpose Agent,” as if overnight, OpenAI and Anthropic’s Operators had become obsolete. Following its launch, Manus triggered an explosive spread within a niche circle, reminiscent of the DeepSeek phenomenon. But can Manus truly become the next DeepSeek? Let’s take a deeper look.

What exactly is Manus?

According to Manus’ promotional video and official website, it is an AI Agent capable of “handling various complex and dynamic tasks, possessing independent thinking and systematic planning abilities, flexibly utilizing tools in virtual environments, and directly delivering complete results.” These descriptions are not uncommon among today’s AI Agent products, as many AI solutions market themselves similarly. Manus is not yet publicly available and can only be accessed via an invitation code, with its release relying entirely on demonstration videos.

In the video demonstrations, Manus showcases several specific application scenarios: for instance, uploading a compressed file containing multiple resumes, automatically extracting, analyzing, and providing recommendations based on prompts; organizing real estate information and prices according to user needs; and generating analytical reports on NVIDIA and Tesla stock prices. Similar functionalities have already been demonstrated by OpenAI’s Operator, Zhipu AI’s Phone Use, Google Gemini, and other AI products.

From a technical standpoint, Manus has not provided a detailed technical report. Some analysts speculate that its core capabilities may be derived from the Claude model, enhanced with fine-tuning techniques based on open-source models, and executing tasks through a series of pre-configured workflows. Its innovation lies in encapsulating these capabilities within a cloud-based virtual environment and offering services through an asynchronous interaction model, though this is still some distance away from the industry’s pursuit of “general AI.”

The Problem with a “General-Purpose Agent”

Manus aims to be a “general AI Agent,” meaning it does not merely provide recommendations or answers but can autonomously plan and execute tasks. However, this definition itself is problematic. Powerful models like Claude already possess the ability to handle complex tasks and complete them efficiently through tool integration. Therefore, the functionalities Manus claims to offer can, in essence, be achieved through more advanced Agents or large models, without the need for a specially designed system like Manus.

Furthermore, Manus’ product positioning is clearly different from that of traditional AI assistants. It appears to integrate various tools and Agents through a “virtual environment” to enhance automation. While this approach lowers the technical barrier for users, does it truly make Manus a general-purpose intelligent Agent? After all, personalized Agent requirements vary widely from person to person, and whether Manus can adapt to different scenarios remains an open question.

Marketing Strategy: Scarcity Marketing and Social Media Hype

Manus’ “viral success” is not solely attributed to its technology; its marketing strategy is also a key factor. By implementing an invitation-only mechanism, Manus created the perception of scarcity, sparking a frenzy within the AI community. Some platforms even resold invitation codes for prices ranging from 999 yuan to 50,000 yuan. This scarcity marketing approach draws inspiration from classic strategies of the mobile internet era: limited releases, intense user competition, and KOL-driven hype reviews. While this method effectively generates buzz and engagement, whether it can sustain long-term user growth remains uncertain.

However, when we look at overseas tech forums and social media, discussions about Manus appear relatively quiet. This suggests that while Manus is trending in China, it may not have resonated with the international market. Notably, Manus’ launch seems overly reliant on emotional marketing, attempting to leverage the “DeepSeek” sentiment to gain rapid attention. However, this could also indicate that its popularity is short-lived, lacking long-term core competitiveness.

Manus’ Product Value and Limitations

From a product design perspective, Manus can be seen as an encapsulation and optimization of existing Cursor-like AI products. By integrating multiple small models and Agents, it simplifies user workflows, making it easier for non-technical users to orchestrate and execute complex tasks. However, this approach is not entirely innovative, as similar design concepts have already emerged in various AI products, such as OpenDevin.

Manus’ advantage lies in its ability to package these complex technologies into a more user-friendly product, enabling ordinary users to leverage AI for sophisticated tasks. However, its limitations are also evident. First, Manus still relies on predefined workflows, which constrain its flexibility and innovation. Second, its operating environment is relatively closed, functioning only within a specific range of software tools, unlike a general-purpose operating system that supports diverse applications. Therefore, whether Manus can truly achieve its goal of being a “general-purpose” AI Agent remains in question.

Future Competition and Development

Manus is not alone in the Agent field. Competitors such as Coze and Dify are also striving to create similar general-purpose Agents. More importantly, as large-model technology continues to advance, models like Claude 3 and GPT-5 are already demonstrating powerful tool-calling capabilities. In the future, the capabilities of large models may directly absorb the market for Agent-based products. Whether Manus can stand out in this highly competitive landscape remains a significant challenge.

A more critical factor is whether Manus can identify a truly viable market position. Its goal is to become a “general-purpose Agent,” but based on its current product form, it resembles more of an efficient AI tool platform designed for specific application scenarios rather than a universally capable AI. If it fails to overcome this bottleneck, its market growth may be confined to a relatively niche circle.

Conclusion

Overall, Manus is a promising AI product, particularly in terms of user experience and technical integration. However, it is not a technological revolution. Its positioning as a “general AI Agent” remains questionable, as its product design focuses more on repackaging existing technologies rather than groundbreaking innovation. While its scarcity marketing and social media-driven hype have generated buzz, whether it can sustain user interest depends on its ability to carve out a unique value proposition in an intensely competitive market. If Manus can break through its current limitations in the future, integrating multi-Agent collaboration and more efficient task execution mechanisms, it still has the potential to become a significant player in the AI field.

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