yann lecun

The release of Manus AI has sent shockwaves through the tech world, promising to revolutionize how we approach tasks, solve problems, and even think. But is this new AI agent a groundbreaking tool for human progress, or is it the first step toward rendering human creativity obsolete?

Manus AI boasts unparalleled capabilities—autonomous problem-solving, real-time decision-making, and the ability to learn and adapt at lightning speed. It’s being hailed as the ultimate productivity booster, a digital assistant that can handle everything from coding to creative writing.

Capabilities and Features
Manus AI is designed to perform a wide range of tasks, showcasing its versatility across personal and professional domains. Examples include:

• Creating custom websites through a step-by-step process, as demonstrated in a video on Manus.
• Conducting in-depth stock analysis and designing visually compelling dashboards, as noted on the website.
• Devising travel itineraries, such as for a trip to Japan, and creating custom handbooks.
• Assisting in educational content creation, like video presentation materials for middle school teachers explaining the momentum theorem.
• Comparing insurance policies and providing clear comparison tables with decision recommendations.

The AI agent is reported to outperform competitors like OpenAI’s Deep Research and Claude’s computer use function, particularly in the GAIA benchmark, a third-party measure for general AI assistants. According to Newsweek, Manus achieved state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance in this benchmark, with comparative data sourced from OpenAI’s release blog at OpenAI.

Launch and Availability
Manus AI was officially unveiled in early March 2025, with its website, Manus, offering an invitation-only web preview. This limited access has sparked significant interest, with the launch being described as “another DeepSeek moment” for China’s AI sector, as reported by The Indian Express. The demonstration video on the website has garnered over 200,000 views on X in less than a day, according to The Economic Times, reflecting high public enthusiasm.

However, the invitation-only model has led to challenges. Reports indicate that invitation codes are being sold on China’s second-hand marketplace Xianyu, with prices ranging from 10,000 RMB ($1,379) to 100,000 RMB ($13,791). This has raised concerns about scarcity marketing tactics, with South China Morning Post reporting that Manus AI’s product partner, Zhang Tao, apologized on social media, admitting the team underestimated the public’s response and citing limited server capacity.

Impact and Industry Context
Manus AI’s launch is seen as a pivotal moment in the AI agent era, reflecting growing interest in autonomous AI capable of executing complex tasks. It follows China’s recent AI breakthroughs, such as DeepSeek, and is part of a broader trend where major AI firms, like OpenAI, are investing in agent-based solutions, with OpenAI announcing pricing for doctor-level AI agents at $20,000 per month.

The potential impact includes enhanced productivity and automation, with Manus AI positioned as a tool for both personal and business use. However, its ability to eliminate jobs raises ethical and economic considerations for future workforce dynamics.