The Buzz About "Manus" AI!

Ran! Ran! Listen to this! Have you heard about "Manus"? It's this AI that's been making huge waves lately! Apparently Meta acquired it, and everyone's saying it's incredible!

Yes, Manus. It's an AI agent that has been attracting significant attention since its release in March 2025. It recently made headlines when Meta acquired it for a valuation reportedly exceeding $2 billion.

*Based on reports from May 2025. Acquisition terms may be subject to change.

$2 billion!? That's a massive amount! But there are so many AIs out there—ChatGPT, Gemini, and all the others. What makes Manus so special?

Great question. The biggest difference is that Manus isn't just a chat AI—it's an "autonomous AI agent." While ChatGPT and Gemini primarily "answer questions," Manus can actually "execute tasks" on its own.

Execute tasks? Wait... what do you mean by that? What kind of things can it actually do?

For example, if you ask it to "Research pricing from 50 competitors and compile it into a spreadsheet," Manus will operate a web browser to gather information and actually create an Excel file for you. If you say "Build me a web app like this," it can write the code, spin up a server, and even provide you with a live URL you can access.

What!? It can build actual apps!? That's... that's like having your own personal assistant!

That's a perfect way to put it. Manus is often called an "Action Engine"—it feels less like a search tool and more like having a remote worker you can delegate tasks to.

Hmm, I see... But ChatGPT can write code too, right? What's really different about this?

There are three major differences: "Persistent File System," "Asynchronous Execution," and "Vibe Coding." Let me explain each one.

【Feature 1】Persistent File System

Traditional AIs like ChatGPT primarily rely on chat history (context window) for memory. Manus, however, allocates a dedicated cloud environment for each project where files can be stored persistently.

*A context window refers to the amount of text an AI can process at once. There's a limit, and longer conversations may cause the AI to "forget" earlier content.

So... ChatGPT forgets things when conversations get long, but Manus can save stuff to files so it remembers better?

Exactly! Plus, each project can inherit a "Master Instruction" as a base configuration, so you don't need to repeat the same explanations every time. You can even share projects with your team.

【Feature 2】Asynchronous Execution (Background Processing)

This is one of Manus's biggest strengths. With regular AI, you need to keep your browser open while waiting for a response. But Manus supports "Fire and Forget" mode.

Fire and Forget? What does that mean?

Once you give an instruction, Manus continues working in the cloud even if you close your browser or log off. For example, you could ask it to "Research 100 companies," go to sleep, and wake up to a completion notification in the morning.

That's amazing! Having work done while I sleep sounds like a dream come true!

【Feature 3】Vibe Coding

This is an essential concept when talking about Manus. It refers to a development style where you can build things without programming knowledge—just by describing what you want in natural language, conveying the "vibe."

*Vibe Coding is a coined term for a new development approach where you communicate through the "vibe" or feel of what you want, and AI writes the code for you.

So I can just say things like "Make this button more blue" or "Move it to the right"!? Even I could do that!

Exactly! Plus, Manus shows you a preview instantly, so the tedious process of "write code → copy → run → fix errors" is drastically shortened. You can even upload a hand-drawn wireframe and have it build a web page based on that.

A web page from a hand-drawn sketch!? That's like magic!

So what can you actually use it for? Give me some specific examples!

Let me share some representative use cases.

This is incredible! Market research especially has always been such a time sink for me... This could make things so much easier!

But wait, ChatGPT has GPTs, and Gemini has Gems, right? How is this different from those?

Great question. Let me put together a comparison table.

I see... So Manus provides "the environment itself." If ChatGPT is like an assistant, Manus is like an assistant with their own workspace, right?

That's a great analogy! Exactly right. Manus is sometimes described as a "cloud OS with an LLM as its kernel." It's not just a chatbot—think of it as providing an entire work environment.

*LLM (Large Language Model) refers to AI models trained on massive amounts of text data, the underlying technology behind ChatGPT, Claude, and similar systems.

But... if it's such an amazing tool, there must be some downsides, right?

Sharp observation, Ete-senpai. There are several important things to know. Let me be honest about them.

A goldfish with a chainsaw... So it's powerful but forgetful. Does that mean it's not suited for building large systems?

Currently, it's ideal for prototyping and small-scale tools, but you should be cautious about large systems requiring long-term maintenance. Some users report that "initial builds are fast, but consistency can break down after multiple revisions."

I see... So it's not a magic tool. The key is knowing when to use it and keeping an eye on things.

Exactly! Every tool depends on how you use it. When you leverage Manus in areas it excels at—"prototyping," "research," "document creation"—it can deliver outstanding results.

Oh right, Meta acquired it! That's the company behind Facebook and Instagram, isn't it? What's going to happen?

Meta has been developing "Llama," their powerful AI model, but that was just the "brain." By acquiring Manus, they're giving Llama "hands." In other words, they now have an AI that can not only think but also execute.

So eventually we might be able to use Manus through WhatsApp or Instagram!?

That's highly likely. Post-acquisition plans suggest integration with WhatsApp and Instagram. You might be able to give commands like "Build an inventory management system" or "Create marketing materials" right from within chat apps.

That would be incredible! AI becoming even more accessible!

However, there are some concerns. It's unclear whether Manus will maintain its current identity as a "developer tool" or shift toward consumers with potentially reduced advanced features. Data privacy is also a consideration once it's integrated into Meta's platforms.

Let me summarize what we've covered today.

Thanks to you, Ran, I really understand Manus now! It sounds perfect for delegating things I'm not great at, like prototyping and research!

I'm glad I could help. The AI agent space is evolving rapidly, so it's only going to get more useful from here. Let's find the right use cases and make the most of it!

You're amazing, Ran! Thanks for the clear explanation!

O-oh... I was just doing what anyone would do...

And that's a wrap for today! The world of AI agents is getting more exciting by the day! Give Manus a try, everyone! See you next time!

If you're interested, you can find more detailed information on the official site (manus.im). See you in the next article! Take care!