In the past year, artificial intelligence leaders have talked about the advent of agents that can do work autonomously. Now, China says it has developed the world’s first.

Last week, Chinese researchers launched an early preview of Manus AI, which they said is “the first general AI agent.”

“This isn’t just another chatbot or workflow,” Yichao “Peak” Ji, chief scientist for Manus AI, said in an introductory video. “It’s a truly autonomous agent that bridges the gap between conception...

Manus, the new artificial intelligence tool from China, is disrupting the global tech race with a new AI agent that some analysts believe is far more powerful than the competition.

Manus AI cofounder Yichao “Peak” Ji said in a video preview of his team’s new tool that it is the “first general AI agent.”

He said Manus gives a window into artificial general intelligence, AGI, the term tech researchers use to describe a theoretical artificially intelligent system that can outperform human capabilities...

One recent evening in Shenzhen, a group of software engineers gathered in a dimly lit co-working space, furiously typing as they monitored the performance of a new AI system. The air was electric, thick with the hum of servers and the glow of high-resolution monitors. They were testing Manus, a revolutionary AI agent capable of independent thought and action. Within hours, its March 6 launch would send shockwaves through the global AI community, reigniting a debate that had simmered for decades: What happens when artificial intelligence stops asking for permission and starts...

Chinese AI researchers say they've created the world's first fully autonomous AI agent — but others aren't convinced that its capabilities make it another "DeepSeek moment."

The agent, called Manus, launched last week and quickly became a hot topic in AI circles.

Its viral launch demo sparked a wave of online discussion, with some praising its capabilities and others pointing out its flaws, along with raising concerns about privacy...