China’s AI Revolution: Manus, the Game-Changer
A huge shift is happening in the AI world, shaking things up big time.
While everyone is busy watching American AI Stars like famous ChatGPT & Musk’s Grok, China just casually dropped Manus, a super-smart AI that’s changing the game completely.
They call it “the first general AI agent.” Many already name it the “OpenAI-killer”. 😅
A cool startup in China, created by Monica
Manus isn’t your regular AI chatbot. It’s more like an AI super-agent that can do some pretty wild things all on its own. Imagine an AI that can check resumes and pick out the best ones, analyze stock markets with spooky-good predictions, build websites from scratch, and even manage entire online projects without any human help.
While other AI agents are useful for idea generation, Ji said Manus AI “delivers results” without much human prompting. The agent’s name comes from the Latin motto “Mens et Manus,” which translates to “Mind and Hand.”
“We see it as the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration, and potentially a glimpse into AGI,” Ji said, referring to artificial general intelligence, the point when AI will be believed to have reached and surpassed human-level intelligence.
And honestly? It’s got Western tech leaders sweating. Manus isn’t just smart; it’s next-level smart, like the kind of AI people used to joke about taking over their jobs. But this time, no one’s laughing. Manus might just be the first glimpse at the kind of AI-powered world we’ve seen in movies, except now it’s real, and it’s coming fast.
“This isn’t just another chatbot or workflow,” Yichao “Peak” Ji, chief scientist for Manus AI. “It’s a truly autonomous agent that bridges the gap between conception and execution.”
While other AI agents are useful for idea generation, Ji said Manus AI “delivers results” without much human prompting. The agent’s name comes from the Latin motto “Mens et Manus,” which translates to “Mind and Hand.”
“We see it as the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration, and potentially a glimpse into AGI,” Ji said, referring to artificial general intelligence — the point when AI will be believed to have reached and surpassed human-level intelligence.
The agent can perform real-world tasks such as providing custom travel plans, researching real estate properties for affordability, and performing correlation analyses between stocks.
Ji demonstrated Manus screening 15 resumes, then providing its ranking suggestions and evaluation of each candidate. He then instructed the agent to put the information into a spreadsheet.
“Manus has its own knowledge and memory, so I can teach Manus that the next time it handles a similar task, it will deliver a spreadsheet right away,” Ji said
Because Manus works asynchronously in the cloud, Ji said, users can close their laptop while it completes tasks. The agent can also receive new instructions while it is working.
The craziest part? It outperforms OpenAI’s deep research models in key AI benchmarks!
Even crazier?
The U.S. has tried hard to slow down China’s AI growth, especially by cutting off their access to fancy microchips. But Manus and China just shrugged and found another way. Huawei recently showed off its own powerful 7-nanometer chip technology, proving they don’t need anyone’s help to stay ahead.
It’s not just tech stuff; China’s also winning in AI research. They’re already pumping out more AI research papers than anyone else on the planet, and they’re quickly improving quality, too. This isn’t just about tech bragging rights; it’s about who calls the shots globally in the next decade.
Microsoft warns Trump: Where the US won’t sell AI tech, China will.
Good Morning, Silicon Valley
For years, the AI race was a Silicon Valley showdown, OpenAI, Google, Meta, each chasing the ultimate chatbot. The assumption? Whoever built the smartest model would own the future. Manus just shattered that illusion.
This isn’t just a better AI; it’s a whole new beast—autonomous, action-driven, and entirely made in China. And that has Silicon Valley on edge.
Manus signals a shift from AI as a tool to AI as an operator—capable of replacing human labor not by choice but by economic necessity. If intelligence becomes industrialized, companies won’t just adopt AI; they’ll be forced to.
AND – OpenAI Plots Charging $20,000 a Month For PhD-Level Agents – C’mon.
GPT? Shaky-shaky. Musk’s Grok? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Battle: Autonomy vs. Accountability
However, autonomy brings its own wild ride of ethical and regulatory challenges. Who’s on the hook if an AI makes a pricey mistake? What happens when these systems misfire out in the real world? And who steps up when AI built to run solo makes the wrong call?
China, always quick to push AI forward, hasn’t slammed the brakes on autonomy yet. Meanwhile, Western regulators are stuck with old rules requiring human oversight—and Manus isn’t waiting around for approval.
The real question isn’t if Manus is happening—it absolutely is. The big puzzle now is how quickly the rest of the world can catch up. Autonomous AI is officially here, with China at the wheel. That means it’s time to rethink work, creativity, and competition because intelligence isn’t just human territory anymore.
Manus isn’t just about cutting-edge AI; it’s signaling a major global shift. Power is drifting from West to East faster than ever. It’s no longer about whether China will dominate AI; it’s about how soon they’ll get there. Get ready, folks. China’s AI revolution is already rolling.
How about Gaming? What’s up, China?
🇨🇳 Let’s check the Data & Charts. Jup, many Titans there.
Mobile Games in China made $11 Billion IAP Revenues as well as 1.2 Billion downloads in 2024
The Trend There?
WeChat Minigames are killing it in China. 🇨🇳 60-80% D1 retention rate for a Payer! Average payback period 3-5 months.
With the Chinese Minigame market hitting almost 500M MAUs in 2024 and users playing for an AVG of 60-min a day ⏰, these fast-produced games are becoming a major revenue driver in China and a trendsetter for the West. What’s even more impressive? These minigames are developed by small teams of just 5-30 people in just 2-3 months, with a production cost of $140K per game.
And?
While Japan and the US dominate gaming headlines, China quietly emerges as a giant, fueled by relentless growth and aggressive strategies.
China’s Gaming Industry Hits Record $44.8 Billion in 2024
- Tencent’s Empire: Tencent isn’t just big; it’s colossal, owning:
- 100% of Riot Games (League of Legends)
- 84.3% of Supercell (Clash of Clans)
- 40% of Epic Games (Fortnite)
- 30% of Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3)
- 80% of Grinding Gear Games (Path of Exile)
- 16% of FromSoftware (Elden Ring, Dark Souls)
Money creates a self-sustaining investment cycle that’s almost unstoppable.
More?
- Mobile Mastery: Chinese studios cracked Mobile Gaming Success, not just with provocative anime aesthetics but by releasing lightning-fast, content-rich updates (e.g., Genshin Impact updating every 6 weeks with substantial content).
- Brutal Efficiency: The sheer speed and volume of updates hint at intense working conditions. China’s infamous “996” work culture (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week) enables unprecedented productivity, suggesting either alarming labor practices or unmatched dedication.
- AAA at Half Price: Black Myth: Wukong, a Game of the Year nominee, cost just $43M with a 140-person team, compared to $200M+ AAA Western titles (e.g., God of War Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West). This dramatic cost gap signals China’s powerful competitive advantage.
- Investment Goldmine: Investors currently prefer established Western studios. However, as Chinese devs gain AAA experience, the equation shifts radically. Soon, investors might prefer financing multiple high-quality Chinese games for the cost of one Western blockbuster.
- Cursed Treasure: China’s massive potential faces governmental hostility toward gaming. If policy loosens, China’s ascent could redefine global game development dominance.
Source: Forbes
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