The startup “Manus,” founded in China and considered a strong competitor to OpenAI, is preparing to launch the “Wide Research” feature, which allows an army of AI agents to work together to tackle massive research tasks. This upgrade could give it a major edge in the growing AI agent market.
Article contents:
- Major upgrade: “Wide Research” feature
- How does “Wide Research” work?
- Advanced capabilities that challenge competitors
- Who is Manus? A fast-rising story
- Pricing and availability strategy
- Going global
- Conclusion: The AI agent race heats up
- Frequently asked questions
Major upgrade: “Wide Research” feature
The startup Manus, founded by a Chinese team, is rolling out a new feature called “Wide Research,” which enables large-scale research by assigning tasks to dozens of artificial intelligence agents working side by side. This upgrade could be the biggest since the launch of its AI platform in March, and aims to differentiate its product from competitors.
How does “Wide Research” work?
The “Wide Research” feature will enable the Manus platform to process large numbers of data entries simultaneously by invoking multiple AI agents. Instead of a single agent doing the work, the system splits the task and distributes it to an army of agents, each focusing on a part of the problem, and then synthesizes the results. This approach, known as parallel computing, allows larger and more complex tasks to be processed with extreme efficiency and speed.
Advanced capabilities that challenge competitors
According to people familiar with its technical development, users will be able to perform certain tasks that other agent tools, such as OpenAI’s “Deep Research,” might find difficult to handle. Examples include generating 50 poster designs, ranking the top 100 MBA programs in the world, or analyzing over 1,000 stocks. This ability to handle a massive volume of data in parallel could give Manus a unique advantage.
Who is Manus? A fast-rising story
In March, the company previewed what it called a “general AI agent” capable of performing web-based tasks, from screening resumes to creating travel itineraries in response to basic instructions. The following month, it secured $75 million in funding led by US venture capital firm Benchmark, sparking buzz and prompting competitors like ByteDance and MiniMax to develop their own AI agents. In June, Manus added an AI-powered video generator to its offerings.
Pricing and availability strategy
The “Wide Research” feature will be available as early as this week, starting with a top-tier subscription priced at $199 per month. This high pricing indicates that the feature is targeted at professional users and enterprises that need advanced research and analytical capabilities, and also reflects the high computational cost of running multiple AI agents simultaneously.
Going global
In a strategic move, the company recently relocated its operations from China to Singapore, Tokyo, and San Mateo, California. Its product is not available in China and is built on large language models such as Anthropic’s Claude. Its early investors include major companies like Tencent, HSG (formerly Sequoia China), and ZhenFund. This global shift aims to avoid geopolitical tensions and reach a wider market.
Conclusion: The AI agent race heats up
The launch of the “Wide Research” feature by Manus represents a new escalation in the race to develop AI agents. Competition is no longer limited to who can build the best language model, but has expanded to include who can build the best “team” of agents capable of working together to solve real-world problems. With this upgrade, Manus proves it is a serious player in this race, and that innovation in artificial intelligence comes from all over the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is an AI Agent?
It is an AI program that can understand goals, make plans, and take actions independently to achieve those goals. It can interact with digital environments (such as web browsing) to perform complex tasks.
What makes Manus’s “Wide Research” feature different?
Instead of using a single agent, the feature uses an “army” of agents working in parallel to process massive amounts of data or tasks at once, allowing for the solution of larger and more complex problems.
Is Manus a Chinese or American company?
The company was founded by a Chinese team, but it relocated its operations outside of China (Singapore, Tokyo, California) and secured major funding from US venture capital firms. Its product is not available in China.
