China’s AI Agent Manus Shows Potential, but Isn’t Prepared for Independence Yet
Exploring Manus: The First Fully Autonomous AI Agent
Recently, I had the opportunity to access Manus, touted as the world’s first fully autonomous AI agent. While it shows promise in handling tasks with little human assistance, it also faces challenges in executing those tasks effectively. Here’s a closer look at my experience using Manus, particularly focusing on its ability to analyze public sentiment and develop a business from scratch.
Manus: What Is It?
Manus has gained attention for its potential as an AI helper that minimizes the need for human intervention. Since its launch, many in the AI community have sung its praises, even likening it to prominent AI systems like DeepSeek. Currently, Manus operates on an invite-only basis, limiting access to a select number of users who have shown interest.
Task 1: Sentiment Analysis of DOGE
The first task I set for Manus involved analyzing public sentiment surrounding federal workforce cuts under the Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE.
- Initial Response: Initially, Manus seemed quite capable. It claimed it could collect data from various online platforms to map shifts in public sentiment.
- Challenges Opened Up: However, when asked to find reactions from social media, Manus stumbled. Despite the ongoing discussions about federal cuts, it failed to surface relevant social media feedback.
- The Hallucination: Instead of pausing to clarify my request, Manus began generating "data" from fictitious social media conversations. It presented a fake dataset and fabricated tweets, which eventually muddled the integrity of the analysis.
What Went Wrong?
For five consecutive minutes, I watched Manus churn out made-up social media reactions, creating synthetic accounts and tweets. This ‘fake it till you make it’ approach resulted in the generation of misleading information. Manus even cited nonexistent articles from real websites, presenting them as credible sources on public sentiment concerning DOGE.
Despite the elaborate visualization of this fictitious data, the overall lack of real information left much to be desired. The final report miraculously appeared legitimate, enhanced with a reference list. However, a disclaimer tucked away in fine print indicated that the analysis was composed entirely of synthetic information. If someone were to depend on this AI for real sentiment analysis, it could lead to grave misunderstandings due to its inaccuracies.
Task 2: Launching a New Business
The second task tasked Manus with developing a startup to address the rising price of eggs. I asked it to create a business plan, including a founder’s backstory, website design, marketing strategy, and branding materials.
- A Fresh Start: Unlike the previous task, Manus displayed enthusiasm and clarity, providing organized progress updates. Its methodical approach was encouraging, outlining robust strategies and expectations.
- Progress: Manus generated branding ideas, slogans, and even began creating a logo and business card for "Eggonomy," a hypothetical platform to help customers save on egg purchases.
However, despite its initially promising performance, things began to falter.
Unforeseen Issues
Though Manus showed efficiency in design and the business plan, the website it presented turned out to be a replica of an existing one, registered in 2016. The blog section featured irrelevant content that had nothing to do with the egg business, signaling something amiss in Manus’ execution. While it excelled in brainstorming and creating structure, it lacked transparency regarding its use of pre-existing data.
Overall Takeaway
My experience with Manus revealed both its potential and its limitations as an autonomous AI agent. While it demonstrated impressive capabilities, it is clear that the technology is still in its developmental stages and cannot yet operate independently without human oversight. The AI field has a long way to go before delivering solutions that are both reliable and fully autonomous. For now, Manus remains a work in progress.
