Discover how the platform can support your growth and deliver a seamless experience for customers and partners in your use case with minimal effort.
„In short, we were impressed by the modularity and scalability with which you can work in the system. "
Siegfried SchneiderCMO, Red Dot Design
Wondering if Manus.AI is better than ChatGPT? Dive into the world of autonomous AI to discover what this promising agent can do and how it’s shaping the future of AI.
The world of artificial intelligence is advancing at an astonishing rate. What seemed like science fiction just a few years ago is now a reality. AI models can now not only generate text or recognize images, but also autonomously process entire task chains.
This marks a transition from large language models (LLMs) to AI agents. While LLMs, such as ChatGPT, demonstrate impressive abilities in understanding and generating human language, AI agents take it a step further. They can plan, act, and solve complex problems independently, often without constant human intervention.
Enter Manus.AI, a new player positioning itself as a serious competitor to established giants like ChatGPT. So, what exactly is behind Manus.AI, and what capabilities make it a potential game changer in the AI landscape?
Essentially, it is an autonomous system capable of perceiving its environment, making decisions, and executing actions to achieve a specific goal. Unlike traditional AI models, which are often limited to specific tasks, AI agents can independently manage complex, multi-step processes.
They are capable of planning, solving problems, and interacting with digital environments, such as browsing the internet, writing code, and managing data. AI agents are designed to automate and optimize human workflows by taking on tasks that previously required human intervention.
Advances in LLMs form the basis for the development of AI agents. Models such as GPT-3, GPT-4, and Anthropic’s Claude showcase the power of AI in understanding and generating language.
These models can create coherent, context-aware text, answer questions, and produce creative content. However, AI agents require more than just language comprehension. Integrating LLMs into a comprehensive system enables these agents to use tools, access external information, and perform actions in the real or digital world.
These agents can give themselves instructions, correct mistakes, and learn from their experiences to continuously improve their performance. Manus.AI is a prime example of this next generation of AI systems.
Manus.AI is more than just another AI model. It represents a new class of autonomous AI agents designed to tackle complex tasks independently. Since its official launch in March 2025, Manus.AI has attracted significant attention and is regarded by many as a potential competitor to well-established AI systems.
Example of creating AI images with Manus.AI
The Singapore-based startup Butterfly Effect AI, also known as Monica, is behind Manus.AI. Monica’s goal is to develop AI agents capable of operating independently and performing complex online tasks without direct human guidance. This distinguishes Manus.AI from many other AI applications, which often require a high degree of human control.
Manus.AI was officially released on March 6, 2025. Its launch caused an international sensation as experts and the media described it as a significant advance in the development of autonomous AI systems. Its ability to perform complex tasks, including writing and deploying code, without direct human intervention was considered groundbreaking.
Manus.AI is based on an advanced technological architecture that enables it to function as a multimodal, large language model-based (LLM) and generative, pre-trained transformer (GPT).
It is referred to as a “foundation model,” meaning it has a broad base of knowledge and skills adaptable to various tasks. Manus.AI uses several AI models, including Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet, to perform its versatile functions.
This combination of technologies allows Manus.AI to understand and generate text, process visual information, analyze data, and draw complex logical conclusions.
Being multimodal is essential for autonomously accomplishing real-world tasks, which often require processing different types of data.
Manus.AI stands out due to its core features, which distinguish it from traditional AI models and establish its position as an autonomous AI agent. These capabilities allow Manus.AI to perform a variety of tasks with a high degree of independence.
With Manus.AI, you can store custom knowledge to achieve even better results.
Manus AI’s most outstanding feature is its autonomy. It is designed to perform complex online tasks independently without constant user intervention or detailed instructions.
This means that Manus.AI can understand a task, develop a plan, execute the necessary steps, and respond to unforeseen problems. Whether it’s researching information on the web, processing data, or writing code, Manus AI can manage the entire process from start to finish.
Its ability to solve problems independently makes Manus.AI a powerful tool for businesses and individuals alike.
Manus.AI has an extremely wide range of applications. It claims to be capable of handling tasks such as creating websites, analyzing stock markets, planning trips, and managing schedules.
In practice, it has proven capable of compiling lists, searching for real estate, and nominating candidates. This versatility makes Manus.AI a valuable tool for various industries and purposes.
It can be used for creative tasks and data-intensive analysis, highlighting its flexibility.
A notable feature of Manus AI is its transparency. While performing a task, it displays its process via a side panel. This allows users to follow the steps the agent is taking and understand how it arrives at its results.
This transparency is particularly valuable for users who do not have programming skills, as it gives them insight into how AI works and builds trust. This approach increases accessibility and facilitates collaboration between humans and AI.
Manus.AI operates asynchronously in the cloud. This means that tasks can be performed in the background, so users don’t have to constantly be online or leave the application open. Users can start a task and then move on to other things while Manus.AI does the work.
The results can be accessed later, offering a high degree of flexibility and efficiency. This cloud-based architecture also contributes to Manus.AI’s scalability, as it is able to process a large number of tasks simultaneously.
One question on many people’s minds is: Can Manus.AI really compete with ChatGPT? To answer this question, it is essential to compare the two systems directly. ChatGPT is considered an outstanding large language model (LLM) that excels at text generation and conversation. In contrast, Manus AI positions itself as an autonomous AI agent that goes beyond pure language processing.
Both Manus AI and ChatGPT are based on advanced AI technologies, in particular large language models, which enable them to understand and generate human language. Both systems can be used for a variety of tasks that require text comprehension and production, such as answering questions, writing content, or summarizing information.
However, the main difference lies in their primary area of application and autonomy. ChatGPT is a conversational AI that responds to user queries and provides text output. It is a tool controlled by a human user to perform specific tasks.
On the other hand, Manus.AI is an agent. It is designed to initiate, plan, and execute tasks independently, often across multiple steps and involving external resources, such as the Internet or other tools. Manus.AI acts more proactively, automating entire workflows, whereas ChatGPT is more reactive, waiting for direct instructions.
In certain scenarios, Manus.AI can outperform ChatGPT, especially when it comes to executing complex, multi-step tasks autonomously. For instance, while ChatGPT can generate text about planning a trip, Manus.AI can actually carry out the planning by searching for flights, booking hotels, and creating a detailed itinerary — all without constant human input.
Manus.AI’s ability to use external tools and perform actions in the digital world gives it an advantage in tasks that go beyond mere information generation. Reports suggest that Manus.AI sometimes outperforms specialized ChatGPT versions, such as ChatGPT DeepResearch, in specific tasks like compiling lists or nominating candidates.
Manus.AI’s transparency, which displays the execution process in a side panel, is also an advantage. It allows users to understand the logic and steps taken by the agent, which is often unclear in complex tasks generated by ChatGPT. This traceability can increase confidence in the agent’s results and facilitate troubleshooting.
Despite its impressive capabilities, Manus.AI has limitations, especially compared to established, mature models, such as ChatGPT. It is important to consider these limitations in order to get a realistic picture of Manus.AI.
One of the biggest practical challenges for Manus.AI is interacting with websites that use paywalls or captchas. Since Manus.AI operates autonomously and collects information from the internet, it reaches its limits when it encounters such barriers. Human intervention is still required here to enable access. ChatGPT, which is primarily based on internal data and text generation, is less affected by such external hurdles.
As a relatively new system, Manus.AI still struggles with stability issues. Reports mention crashes and sserver overloads during high demand, which can lead to task errors and a higher error rate than with some alternatives. ChatGPT and other established LLMs have benefited from years of development and optimization, resulting in more robust and reliable performance.
Manus.AI’s cost model is divided into pricing packages with varying scopes. It is competitively priced and serves all user groups, from small to large. Anyone interested in trying out Manus.AI can register via their website and access the AI tool for free without a waiting list.
The theory behind Manus.AI sounds promising, but how does it work in practice? Initial experiences with the autonomous AI agent reveal both impressive potential and significant challenges.
User reports and demonstrations of Manus.AI show that the agent can perform complex tasks requiring a series of decisions and actions. These tasks include creating detailed travel plans, conducting market analyses involving data collection and evaluation, and generating code for specific applications.
Its ability to perform these tasks autonomously and without constant human supervision can lead to significant efficiency gains. For companies, this means the ability to automate routine tasks and free up resources for more complex problems.
For individuals, Manus.AI can serve as a personal assistant, taking over time-consuming research and organizational tasks. Many users see the transparency of the process, in which Manus.AI displays its steps in the side panel, as a major advantage, as it allows them to understand how the AI works and intervene if necessary.
Despite the promising approaches, there is also criticism and discussion of challenges within the community. One frequently mentioned issue is the system’s instability. Crashes and server overloads, especially during periods of high demand, lead to user frustration and impair efficiency.
The long processing time for certain tasks, ranging from 30 minutes to over an hour, is also criticized, as it limits immediate applicability for quick problem-solving.
Another concern is the claim that Manus.AI is merely a “wrapper” for existing AI models. This means Manus.AI does not develop revolutionary AI models but rather intelligently orchestrates and integrates existing models, such as Claude 3.5 Sonnet, to enable autonomous capabilities.
While this may be a valid and effective technical strategy, it raises questions about originality and long-term innovation potential. Manus.AI’s marketing strategy is also viewed critically, particularly regarding limited availability and raised expectations. The fact that only a small percentage of waitlist users gain access creates an exclusivity that not everyone welcomes.
The development of AI agents such as Manus.AI marks an important milestone in the evolution of artificial intelligence. They point to a future in which AI systems are not just tools that respond to commands, but proactive partners that can solve complex tasks independently.
The potential of autonomous AI is immense. It could fundamentally transform the way we work and live. From automating entire business processes to providing personalized education and support in research and development, AI agents could expand human capabilities and free us from repetitive or time-consuming tasks.
The vision is a world in which these agents act as intelligent assistants, helping us to achieve our goals more efficiently and effectively. This could lead to increased productivity, new opportunities for innovation, and a better work-life balance.
Whether Manus.AI will be a real game changer or just another player in the rapidly growing field depends on several factors. Its ability to perform complex tasks autonomously is impressive and positions Manus.AI at the forefront of AI agent development.
If the team behind Manus.AI solves the current stability issues and improves accessibility, it could become the leading platform for autonomous AI. The system’s transparency and the ability to track the agent’s workflow are also strong arguments in favor of Manus.AI.
However, competition in the field of AI agents is intense. Many companies and research institutions are working on similar solutions. Manus.AI’s success will depend on how quickly it can adapt, learn, and expand its capabilities to meet ever-growing demands.
Skepticism regarding its “wrapper” nature and marketing strategy must also be addressed to gain the trust of the general public. Ultimately, Manus.AI’s acceptance and long-term success will depend on its ability to create real value for users and deliver on its promises.
In summary, Manus.AI is an innovative and promising player in the field of AI agents. While it is not a direct replacement for ChatGPT, it is a valuable complement that offers autonomous execution of complex tasks. Whether Manus.AI will establish itself as a “ChatGPT competitor” in the traditional sense remains to be seen. Instead, Manus.AI is a pioneer in a new segment of AI that focuses on workflow automation. It will be exciting to watch Manus.AI’s development, as it has the potential to redefine the limits of what AI can do and give us a glimpse of the autonomous future.
Daniel Luecke
Director Software Solutions
I work together with my colleagues to make our product a little better every day – and to be a partner who helps our customers work successfully with their media and product data.