A conversation with Manus AI's cofounder and CPO Tao Zhang

Manus represents a paradigm shift in artificial intelligence by moving beyond conversational chatbots to autonomous agents capable of executing complex tasks. By providing AI with a virtual machine—a "hand" to complement its "brain"—the platform enables users to perform actions like coding, browsing, and file management without human intervention. This capability to deliver tangible outcomes, such as fully functional websites, fueled rapid, organic growth, reaching 3.5 million signups within a month of launch. The development process prioritizes an "outcome-first" methodology, where the AI itself prototypes features before engineering teams finalize them. By focusing on usage-based value and transparency, the company empowers non-technical users to build businesses, effectively democratizing access to software development and shifting the primary bottleneck from technical execution to the ability to define and frame problems.