Deep Dive: AI’s Newest Agent, Manus
Everyone in the AI world is buzzing about Manus. We at MIT Technology Review were able to test it out. The general AI agent, Manus, launched last week and has quickly gained traction online. Developed by Butterfly Effect, a startup in Wuhan, China, Manus has captured global attention, with some comparing it to DeepSeek.
Manus claims to be the first general AI agent, utilizing multiple existing AI models to autonomously perform a variety of tasks. Despite abundant hype, the opportunity to test it out has been limited. MIT Technology Review obtained access to Manus. We present our findings. —Caiwei Chen
Robotrucks Deemed Safe Through Virtual Simulations
News: Waabi, a Canadian startup specializing in robotrucks, claims that their highly realistic virtual simulations are now accurate enough to prove the safety of their driverless big rigs without needing to test them on real roads.
How they did it: The company uses a digital twin of its real-world robotrucks, integrated with actual sensor data, and compares the twin’s performance to that of real trucks on actual roads. Waabi asserts that the results are incredibly similar, and their method offers a more effective safety demonstration than accumulating real-world miles, which many competitors do. Read the full story. —Will Douglas Heaven
Artificial Leaf Mimics Photosynthesis
For years, scientists have been striving to create devices that mirror photosynthesis, which plants use to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into fuel. These artificial leaves use sunlight to convert water into oxygen and hydrogen, which could be used to power vehicles or generate electricity. Now, a research team from the University of Cambridge has set its sights on creating more energy-dense fuels. The team’s device produces ethylene and ethane, demonstrating that artificial leaves can create hydrocarbons.
This technology offers a potentially cheaper, cleaner way to produce fuels, chemicals, and plastics, with the main goal of creating fuels that don’t leave a harmful carbon footprint. Read the full story. —Carly Kay
Green Steel Production Milestone
Green-steel startup Boston Metal has shown that it has all the components needed to make steel without emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. The company successfully ran its largest reactor yet to make steel, producing metal in excess of a ton, MIT Technology Review can exclusively report. This achievement brings Boston Metal a step closer to commercializing its technology. While significant milestones remain before reaching the scale needed to make an impact on the steel industry, the latest run demonstrates that the company can scale up its process. Read the full story. —Casey Crownhart
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Must-Reads
I have reviewed the internet to find the most interesting stories about technology today
- US Resumes Aid to Ukraine. Leaders agree to share military intelligence. (The Guardian) Ukraine also supports a US proposal for a ceasefire. (Vox). A civilian involved in Ukraine’s drone defense is the subject of a profile. (MIT Technology Review)
- Donald Trump Imposes Tariffs on Metal Imports. The decision is likely to raise costs for American carmakers and other manufacturers. (NYT $$)+ Business leaders express concern over his inconsistent approach to tariffs. (WSJ $$)+ US-based metal makers are pleased. (Economist $$)+ Trump’s tariffs could increase the cost of batteries, EVs, and related products (MIT Technology Review)
- Texas Measles Outbreak Spreads. Two people in Oklahoma are being treated for measles-like symptoms. (Ars Technica) An unvaccinated six-year-old girl recently died in Texas (The Atlantic $$). The state is rushing to respond to the outbreak (Undark). The virus is very contagious and dangerous for children and adults. (Wired $$)
- Elon Musk Wants US Government Shutdown. His reasoning includes that it would make it easier to dismiss federal employees. (Wired $$). A judge has ruled that DOGE must abide by the Freedom of Information Act (The Verge). Analyzing the complexity presented by the question: Can AI help DOGE slash government budgets? (MIT Technology Review)
- OpenAI’s Claims of AI in Creative Writing. Is a model trained on existing content truly capable of being creative? (TechCrunch) How AI can increase creativity, but has limitations. (MIT Technology Review)
- Silicon Valley AI Startups Expand in India. There is a lot of available talent, especially in Bangalore, a tech hub. (Bloomberg $$)
- Spotify Paid Out Royalties Worth $10 Billion. The company claims it paid the “largest in music industry history”. (FT $$). MIT Technology Review has an exploration of breaking free from Spotify’s algorithm.
- Saturn Now Has More Moons Than All Other Planets Combined. Researchers have discovered new moons previously undetected. (New Scientist $$)
- The Hottest AI Spot in New York: A Coffee Shop. OpenAI’s office is conveniently located nearby. (Insider $$)
- Netflix Should Not Use AI to Upscale Resolution. The outcome made the show ‘A Different World’ appear distorted. (Vice)
Quote of the Day
“The uncertainty is just as bad as tariffs themselves.”
—Donald Schneider, deputy head of US policy at investment bank Piper Sandler, explains to The Washington Post why investors are rattled by Trump’s ever-changing approach to tariffs.
The Big Story
Can Afghanistan’s underground “sneakernet” survive the Taliban?
November 2021. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, Mohammad Yasin had to make quick and hard decisions. He started deleting sensitive data on his computer and moved the rest onto his largest hard drives. He then wrapped them in plastic and buried them.
Yasin is what the locals call a “computer kar,” selling content such as music, movies, mobile applications, and iOS updates by hand in a country where a steady internet connection can be hard to find. Despite the dangers of Taliban rule, the country’s extensive “sneakernet” does not plan to shut down. Read the full story. —Ruchi Kumar
