Since the general AI agent Manus was launched last week, it has spread online like wildfire. And not just in China, where it was developed by the Wuhan-based startup Butterfly Eff

Agentic AI represents a major advancement, especially the AI’s ability to design, construct, and execute code.

The existence of Manus makes this cautious approach harder to sustain, however. As the previously wide gap between big AI labs and upstarts narrows, the giants no longer have the luxury of taking their time. And that also means their approach to safety is no longer workable.

Some early users were enthusiastic about the product’s capabilities; others complained it took too long and crashed.