Manus, an invite-only ‘general AI agent’ developed by Chinese startup Monica (backed by Butterfly Effect), has taken the internet by storm since its launch on March 5-6. The product promises to autonomously complete complex, multi-step tasks — such as building websites, generating slides, or developing desktop apps — with minimal human intervention. Demos circulating on social media show Manus browsing the web, writing code, and producing polished outputs, leading some to call it a ‘second DeepSeek moment’ for Chinese AI. The hype has driven invite codes to sell for thousands of yuan on secondary markets.

However, a wave of skepticism has followed. Critics argue that Manus is essentially a polished wrapper around existing large language models like Claude, orchestrated via tools and browser automation. Without access to the underlying model, it’s difficult to assess how much genuine novelty Manus brings. The company touts it as a ‘hands-on AI’ that turns prompts into deliverables, but the reaction on social media this week is split between awe at the demos and suspicion that it’s more smoke than substance. The question hanging over the conversation: is this a genuine leap in AI capability, or a well-timed hype cycle from a startup with a clever integration?

Some in the community note that Monica has previously released AI tools like Monica.im, and that Manus may represent a practical step forward in agentic AI. Yet the closed, invite-only system and high secondary market prices are fueling both curiosity and caution.