Latest news with #Manus'
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Agentic AI platform Manus launches a paid plan for teams
Manus, the once-buzzy AI agent platform, on Tuesday launched a plan aimed at small businesses and organizations. The plan, dubbed Manus Team, starts at $39 per seat per month with a five-seat minimum, totaling $195 per month. Each team gets 19,500 credits in a sharable pool, as well as access to certain features in beta, dedicated infrastructure, and priority access during peak hours. Credits can be spent on tasks — for example, copying data from a website to a spreadsheet. Lengthier tasks can burn up hundreds — or even thousands — of credits. Team users can run up to two tasks concurrently and can optionally use Manus' "high-effort mode" for improved reliability. Manus, which went viral in March in part thanks to a buzzy social media campaign, has introduced a number of premium offerings in recent weeks as well as a mobile app. The startup behind the platform, Butterfly Effect, reportedly recently raised $75 million in a funding round led by Benchmark that valued the company at $500 million. According to Bloomberg, Manus aims to expand to new markets, including Japan and the Middle East. The company also intends to continue upgrading the AI models that power its platform. Currently, Manus primarily uses Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet and customized versions of Alibaba's Qwen. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Tom's Guide
05-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
How to use Manus — the AI agent dubbed the ‘second DeepSeek'
Manus, an AI model that autonomously executes tasks you assign it, has intrigued the world as AI chatbots continue to compete for users. Dubbed the 'second DeepSeek', because both Manus and the AI chatbot DeepSeek originate from China and have reached significant global popularity, Manus offers users a somewhat different experience. The team behind Manus describes the tool as a general AI agent that can handle tasks ranging from planning a trip, to analyzing reports to designing websites. Rather than the quick back and forth you're used to having with chatbots like ChatGPT, Manus is more like an AI intern that can complete longer assignments. While Manus typically takes longer to generate responses than rival AI tools, it has shown to produce thorough and detailed answers. At the time of writing, Manus offers users a choice between two paid plans. Each plan gives you a certain amount of credits which you can then spend on different tasks. The more complex the task, the more credits you consume. If you want to learn how to use Manus, this is how you can do so. If this is your first time using Manus, you'll first need to sign up for an account. You can either use your email or use an existing Google and Apple account. You can do all of this through the sign up page. After your account has been approved, you can then sign in through the dedicated Manus login page. Enter the email associated with your account or sign in with Google or Apple. For enhanced security and privacy, consider using a VPN. Once you've successfully signed in, you'll be taken straight to the main prompt interface. If you're familiar with ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude you'll immediately notice a prompt box where you can type in your instructions for Manus — just as with the other AI bots. Insert your prompt and then hit enter. While Manus is working on executing the task you set it out to do, you can still send additional messages to add more information to your original prompt or to modify tasks. To do this, add the extra instructions in the prompt box and hit enter. You can also leave Manus and return when the task is complete. Depending on what your prompt was, you can then interact with Manus' output. In this case I asked for an interactive course about large language models (LLMs). To try it out, click on the button to use Manus' computer and select the browser option. As with other AI tools, Manus may be able to give you better results if you provided with all the necessary context. Manus can automatically recall relevant knowledge when needed. You can provide this additional context to Manus directly. It supports up to 20 pieces of information referred to as "knowledge". To provide this additional context, first click on your profile name. Then click on the knowledge tab. This will open a dialogue box which you can use to enter information that you would like Manus to recall in the future. Now you've learned how to use Manus, why not take a look at some of our other useful AI articles?Here's what happened when I replaced Photoshop with ChatGPT's new AI image generator and when I asked ChatGPT to become my exercise coach. And if you want to know how to use Google Gemini to declutter your Gmail account, we've got you covered. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Manus launches paid subscription plans and a mobile app
Manus AI, the viral AI agent platform out of China, on Monday morning launched two subscription plans starting at $39 per month. Manus, which is still in beta, is an AI-powered agentic tool that can be used to complete tasks ranging from creating a web page for a wedding invitation to crafting a scoring sheet for a baseball game. In our tests, however, we found that the platform falls short of some of its loftier marketing promises. The cheaper of Manus' new premium plans is $39 per month and comes with 3,900 credits and the ability to run two tasks simultaneously. The other, costlier new plan, which costs $199 per month, grants users 19,900 credits, the ability to run five tasks simultaneously, and priority access during peak hours. Premium Manus subscribers can buy extra credits if they need with top-up packs. The prices for these weren't immediately clear. "While we're working hard around the clock to scale our infrastructure and accommodate everyone, we've had to temporarily limit access to Manus during our this development phase," Manus wrote in a post on X. "We are also working on optimizing our current usage rates to provide better value for our users." In other upgrades to its platform today, Manus released an iOS app and upgraded the AI model powering its backend to Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at Sign in to access your portfolio
Asharq Al-Awsat
22-03-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Beijing to Release Manus, DeepSeek's Next Generation
Chinese artificial intelligence startup Manus on Thursday registered its China-facing AI assistant and was featured for the first time in a state media broadcast, highlighting Beijing's strategy of boosting domestic AI firms that have received overseas recognition. Since China's DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley by releasing AI models comparable to its US competitors but developed at a fraction of the cost, Chinese investors have been on the lookout for the next domestic startup with the potential to upend the global tech order. Some have pointed to Manus. The company went viral on X a few weeks ago by releasing what it claimed to be the world's first general AI agent, capable of making decisions and executing tasks autonomously, with much less prompting required compared to AI chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek. Beijing is now showing signs that it will support Manus' rollout within China, echoing its response to DeepSeek's success. State broadcaster CCTV on Thursday devoted television coverage to Manus for the first time, publishing a video on the difference between its AI agent and DeepSeek's AI chatbot. Beijing's municipal government on Thursday announced that a Chinese version of an earlier Manus product, an AI assistant called Monica, had completed the registration required for generative AI apps in China, clearing an important regulatory hurdle. Chinese regulators require all generative AI applications released in the country to abide by strict rules, partly designed to ensure these products do not generate content considered sensitive or damaging by Beijing. Last week Manus announced a strategic partnership with the team behind tech giant Alibaba's Qwen AI models. The move could bolster the domestic roll-out of Manus' AI agent, which is currently only available to users with invite codes and has a waiting list of 2 million, according to the startup. In the markets, Hong Kong and China stocks declined on Friday and registered weekly losses, as tech shares tumbled on mounting profit-taking pressure. The Hang Seng Tech Index slid 3.4% on Friday, and Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index lost 2.1%. Both indexes registered back-to-back weekly losses for the first time since January. In Hong Kong, chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation slid 7.5% to a one-month low, while market heavyweight Alibaba lost 3.5%. China's blue-chip CSI300 index dipped 1.5%, ending the week with a 2.3% loss in its largest retreat since January. The Shanghai Composite Index lost 1.3%. The tech sector also paced declines onshore. Mainland's tech-focused Star 50 Index dropped 2.1% and AI-related shares slipped 3%. "It's normal to see some pullbacks at these levels after such a strong rally this year - this doesn't even qualify as a correction," said Dickie Wong, Kingston Securities executive director. The optimism around China's 'two sessions,' DeepSeek and President Xi Jinping's meeting with tech leaders has already been priced in with major indexes at current levels, prompting investors to take profit, he added. The Hang Seng Tech index has lost 4.1% this week in a second week of decline - the longest losing streak since the opening weeks of the year. However, the gauge is still up 26% year-to-date.
Express Tribune
12-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Manus AI takes centre stage in China's growing AI scene
Listen to article A new AI system out of China is quickly making waves in the tech world. Named Manus, the product promises to take autonomous task execution to the next level, and some are already calling it a second 'DeepSeek moment' for the AI industry. Developed by the Chinese startup Butterfly Effect, Manus is more than just an AI model—it's an interface for controlling multiple AI models that can autonomously complete complex tasks. This includes everything from generating reports to managing social media accounts, and more. What is Manus? Manus is a multi-agent AI system that can autonomously carry out tasks on behalf of its users. Unlike conventional chatbots that only respond to prompts, Manus is designed to take on tasks independently, such as generating reports, automating workflows, and even writing and deploying code. The system operates asynchronously, meaning users can assign tasks and walk away, while Manus works in the background. The team behind Manus includes Xiao Hong, a serial entrepreneur, and several product managers. Hong previously launched an AI assistant, and now leads Manus, which was officially introduced on March 5, 2025. It has already garnered significant attention in China's AI ecosystem. How does Manus work? Manus is powered by a multi-agent system that combines several AI models to execute tasks. The system is built on Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet, a nine-month-old AI model, and fine-tuned versions of Alibaba's Qwen models. The team is also testing an upgrade to Claude 3.7 to improve Manus' performance further. The AI works asynchronously, allowing users to assign tasks and let Manus handle them autonomously. This sets it apart from traditional AI systems, which often require constant user input. Manus AI's rise in China and beyond The buzz around Manus intensified after it was tested on freelance platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr, where it successfully executed complex real-world tasks. AI influencers and early adopters have been particularly impressed with Manus' ability to manage multiple tasks, such as creating websites, developing AI courses, and researching top rental spots in San Francisco. Rowan Cheung, founder of the Rundown AI newsletter, called Manus a 'game changer' and noted that it could combine the best features of other AI systems, such as Deep Research, OpenAI's Operator, and Claude Computer. Early tests show Manus can handle tasks with exceptional efficiency, often outperforming competitors in benchmark tests. How does Manus compare to US-Based competitors? One of the key reasons Manus has gained attention is its benchmark performance. The system has outperformed OpenAI's Deep Research agent and other state-of-the-art models, according to tests published on the Manus website. This has led some to believe that Manus could be the most capable autonomous AI agent currently available. However, despite the positive performance, some have raised concerns about Manus' reliance on existing AI models rather than creating its own foundation. Critics have questioned how much of Manus's technology is truly original, especially when compared to DeepSeek-R1, which developed its own foundational model. Manus sparks interest among influencers and early adopters Manus's launch has been met with enthusiasm in AI circles. Influencers like Bilawal Sidhu and Chubby have been particularly vocal about the tool's capabilities. Sidhu, a former Googler and AI YouTuber, praised Manus for its ability to break down complex workflows and execute them autonomously. The AI has also been tested for its ability to execute more routine tasks, such as generating reports, pulling data from social media sources, and researching locations based on specific parameters. Critics note that while Manus excels in some areas, it may still be lacking in other domains, particularly in STEM applications. Questions about Manus' future Despite the excitement, there are concerns about Manus's scalability and availability. Currently, Manus is only available to select users through an invite-only beta, and the team behind the tool has admitted that server shortages have led to frustration among potential users. Invitation codes for Manus have even been sold on China's second-hand marketplace, Xianyu, adding to the hype but also leading to criticisms of the product's exclusivity. Additionally, while Manus is praised for its ability to execute tasks, some believe that it may be overhyped. Critics point out that it remains unclear whether Manus can replicate the success of other AI products like DeepSeek, especially in the long term. Manus AI and content control Manus has shown to provide uncensored responses to sensitive topics, including historical events like the Tiananmen Square protests, which other AI systems like DeepSeek have avoided. This has raised questions about Manus's content control mechanisms, especially in a country with strict internet censorship laws. However, the Manus team maintains that it does not intentionally censor factual information and that its focus is on task execution rather than content regulation. Future of Manus AI While Manus has made an impressive debut in China's AI landscape, its true potential remains unclear. The system's ability to scale and handle more complex tasks could make it a major player in enterprise automation. However, as Manus faces server limitations and access restrictions, it's uncertain whether it can achieve widespread adoption. Some analysts suggest that Manus could be a breakthrough in human-machine collaboration, but others remain sceptical, questioning whether the system can maintain its current momentum.
