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Manus AI: Features, Uses, Alternatives & Impact of the First General AI Agent

Virgil DeanLast Updated: Mar. 11, 2025

Following Deepseek's success, Chinese-developed Manus has become a global sensation in AI technology. As the world's first universal AI agent capable of handling diverse complex tasks, it represents a significant leap in human-machine collaboration. This article examines:

  • What is Manus
  • Practical applications for general users
  • Available alternatives
  • Implications for humanity's future

What is Manus?

Manus is the world's first universal Agent product capable of handling diverse and complex tasks. Whether you need in-depth market research, batch document processing, personalized travel planning, or professional data analysis, Manus employs independent reasoning and systematic planning to flexibly utilize tools within its virtual environment—writing and executing code, intelligently browsing the web, and operating web applications—to deliver complete task outcomes, not just suggestions or answers.

"Traditional AI provides semi-processed ingredients; Manus delivers the complete meal. Input raw materials, and receive finished results."

Manus adheres to the philosophy of "less structure, more intelligence": When your data is sufficiently high-quality, models are powerful, architecture is flexible, and engineering is robust, concepts like computer use, deep research, and coding agent naturally emerge as capabilities rather than predefined features. Let Manus handle tasks while you focus on creative work. Monitor task progress in real-time via mobile devices, and when you return, Manus will present satisfying results.

Check the introduction video here:

Note: Manus is in closed beta testing. The official launch date will be announced based on user feedback and development progress.

How to Apply for Manus Invitation Code

Manus has opened to receive applications, which is an invitation code that fits your needs. Once the request is approved, you can get an email with an invitation code to use Manus. Here are steps:

  1. Open the Manus official website and click the Get Started button.

    Click Get Started from Manus Website

  2. Click the Apply for access button.

    Apply for Access

  3. Enter your email and how can Manus help you. Then Submit request.

    Tips: Try to state your needs and interests clearly.

    Fill in How Can Manus Help you

  4. Request submitted successfully and check youe email messages in time.

    Request Submitted Successfully

Key Features of Manus

Powerful Task Planning & Execution

Manus deeply understands complex requirements and autonomously designs detailed execution plans. Instead of merely answering questions, it selects the optimal tools—web browsing, app operation, or code execution—to achieve your goals. Like an experienced assistant, it delivers complete results, freeing you to focus on creativity and decision-making.

New Paradigm for Human-AI Interaction

Unlike traditional AI tools, Manus operates in the cloud, working continuously without requiring your constant attention. You can interrupt, adjust, or refine requirements mid-task, and Manus will adapt instantly. When satisfied, instruct it to "always do it this way"—it learns your preferences and optimizes workflows, evolving into a proactive collaborator.

Continuous Learning & Evolution

Manus’s Knowledge System learns from your task requirements and preferences. With every interaction, it grows more attuned to your work style, output preferences, and situational needs, becoming a personalized intelligent partner.

Why the Name "Manus"?

"Manus" means "hand" in Latin, derived from the phrase mens et manus ("mind and hand")—symbolizing the unity of knowledge and action. This reflects our belief that wisdom must be applied practically to create a positive impact. Manus aims to act as the "hands" for LLMs, extending human capabilities to turn visions into reality.

How Manus Differs from Chatbots (e.g., Deepseek, ChatGPT, Claude)

  • Tool Utilization Capability: Manus actively uses tools (browsers, code editors, etc.) to execute tasks end-to-end, delivering results rather than just advice.
  • True Time Savings: It operates autonomously in its own environment—delegate tasks and focus elsewhere.
  • Collaborative Interaction: Interact dynamically, adjust directions mid-task, and let Manus evolve with your feedback.

How you can use Manus in your daily work and life

  1. Make Slide Presentation with Manus

    Unlike previous chatbots, Manus eliminates the need for third-party tools to directly generate slides. While current outputs haven't reached external promotion quality standards, they deliver impressive results for internal team report enhancements.

    Video made with Pointa

  2. Make Website/Online Tools with Manus

    The use case demonstrates how Manus helped a middle school teacher create an interactive website visualizing momentum theorem through just two dialogue rounds. Additional demonstrations include:Special sound effect creation and online mini-game development. This reveals that coding skills become unnecessary - users only need creative ideas while Manus handles implementation.

    Video made with Pointa

  3. Make infographics with Manus

    Infographics and tables serve as excellent visual information carriers. Marketing professionals can have Manus generate themed infographics (e.g., AI milestone timelines), then send outputs to designers for modification or use them directly

    However, this approach of directly providing results is somewhat inefficient in a way, as it doesn't allow for human intervention. I suggest enabling a hybrid mode combining full automation with user involvement, where after completing a step, the system would seek user feedback. If no feedback is received within a few seconds, it would automatically continue running.

Are there Any Alternatives to Manus?

On the internet, we can see that Manus is described as: Manus is like an organic combination of DeepResearch + Operator + Claude Computer Use. And Manus claims to be the world's first general-purpose AI Agent, so let's look at the differences between it and OpenAI's Deep Research, Operator, and Claude Computer Use:

Product Core Capability Key Benchmark
Manus Cross-platform automation (Windows/macOS/mobile) + autonomous coding GAIA benchmark leader (89% accuracy)
Deep Research Academic research synthesis with citation tracking "Humanity's Last Exam" (26.6% accuracy)
Operator Browser task automation (form filling, data scraping) Not benchmarked in provided sources
Claude Computer Use VM-based web automation with Constitutional AI safeguards Limited to Anthropic’s internal evaluations

Manus is the only product claiming cross-platform app control and asynchronous operation

Deep Research uniquely provides reasoning process documentation for academic validation

Operator and Claude Computer Use remain focused on browser automation, but differ in safety protocols (Claude’s Constitutional AI) vs. OpenAI’s ecosystem integration

gaia benchmark manus ai and openai

Implications for humanity's future

Every time AI progresses, the excitement that comes with each advancement is always accompanied by anxiety. People constantly worry about whether their futures will be displaced by AI, especially since these changes are already happening all around us. We witness this technological revolution unfolding before our eyes: artists seeing AI generate artwork in seconds that would take them days, writers watching language models draft articles with surprising coherence, and customer service representatives being replaced by increasingly sophisticated chatbots. The boundary between human creativity and machine capability blurs further with each update.

This tension isn't new in human history. The Industrial Revolution sparked similar fears as machines replaced manual labor. But today's AI revolution differs in its unprecedented speed and its ability to encroach on cognitive tasks once thought uniquely human. When white-collar professionals—lawyers reviewing documents, radiologists analyzing medical images, or programmers writing code—see their specialized skills partially automated, the anxiety becomes more universal.

The economic implications heighten these concerns. While companies embrace AI for efficiency and cost reduction, workers wonder if their skills will remain relevant. Young people choose career paths with uncertainty, questioning which professions might still exist when they graduate. Meanwhile, those mid-career face pressure to continuously reskill to avoid obsolescence.

  1. Disruptive Impact of AI on Employment

    AI technologies have surpassed human performance in complex tasks, leading to significant reductions in repetitive roles such as clerical, customer service, and data entry jobs in the short term. The World Economic Forum predicts that 23% of global jobs will undergo structural changes due to technological advancements over the next five years.

  2. Emergence of New Roles and Growing Demand

    While low-skill jobs may decline, automation will drive demand for high-skill professions like AI development, data science, and cybersecurity. By 2027, an estimated 69 million new technology-related jobs are projected to emerge globally.

  3. Demand Saturation and Employment Fluctuations

    Historical patterns in agriculture and textiles show that AI-driven productivity gains may initially expand employment (e.g., accountants thrived with spreadsheets). However, as markets saturate, slower demand growth could lead to job declines. Over the next 5–10 years, up to 83 million U.S. jobs may be transformed or displaced by AI.

  4. Strategies for Individuals and Societies

    Reskilling the Workforce: Workers must pivot to irreplaceable skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and technical proficiency.

    Policy Interventions: Governments and businesses should invest in education reforms and social safety nets to mitigate short-term unemployment shocks.

  5. Long-Term Outlook: Human-AI Collaboration

    AI will not replace humans entirely but redefine work boundaries. For example, doctors may shift from diagnosis to patient advocacy, while teachers transition from lecturing to personalized mentorship.

    how human interact with ai

    6. Key Insight: AI is both a threat and a tool. Its ultimate impact depends on proactive adaptation to technological change rather than passive acceptance of displacement. Just as the Industrial Revolution ultimately fostered greater societal prosperity, the AI era hinges on balancing efficiency with human-centric values.