AI Agent Mkt Down To $3bn: Will Chinas ‘Manus AI Aid Or Arrest The Fall?

AI Agent Mkt Down To $3bn: Will China’s ‘Manus AI’ Aid Or Arrest The Fall? 

By Vishakha Thakur

Trump tariffs have led to a general downturn in the crypto markets, and AI crypto market agents have not been immune to this trend. The market cap of AI agent coins, which was $15 billion in December 2024, has now dropped to just $3 billion in March. Major AI agent coins such as Virtuals, FET, and Origin Trail have seen double-digit losses.

However, the entry of China’s new AI agent, Manus, has created a stir in the market. There is widespread speculation about whether Manus AI will help the market recover or cause it to decline. This speculation stems from the fact that, in January, China challenged the dominance of American tech giants in the AI sector by introducing its low-cost AI model, DeepSeek. While OpenAI spent over $100 million to train its GPT-4 model, DeepSeek was developed for just $6 million.

Key Impact of DeepSeek’s AI Disruption:

• DeepSeek AI Model Cost: $6M vs OpenAI’s $100M
• Nvidia’s Stock Crash: -17% in a single day, wiping out $600 billion in market value
• Crypto Impact: NEAR Protocol and ICP saw double-digit declines

With both DeepSeek and now Manus AI, it is clear that China will not back down from challenging the U.S. tech dominance at any cost. Therefore, it’s essential to understand Manus AI and its features, which are creating a buzz in the market.

What Is Manus AI?

Manus AI is a digital worker developed by a Beijing-based startup, Monica. It has attracted worldwide attention since its announcement. Currently, Manus AI is available as an invitation-only web preview, and the company has not yet announced a public release date.

Manus AI Capabilities:

• Outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch on the GAIA benchmark
• Can autonomously plan, execute, and complete tasks
• Beyond chatbots: builds websites, plans trips, analyzes stocks

Unlike standard chatbots, Manus AI does more than provide text responses. It can plan, execute, and complete tasks without human supervision. For example, if instructed to conduct a detailed stock analysis, Manus will collect data, create spreadsheets, generate charts, and compile the final report.

Manus AI’s Key Features:

1. Autonomous Execution: While OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic models focus primarily on text generation, Manus goes a step further and executes actual tasks.
2. Real-Time Web Interaction: Unlike models like ChatGPT or Claude, Manus can browse the internet to fetch live data, interact in real time, and generate reports or take screenshots.
3. Multi-Screen Integration: Manus can work across multiple platforms such as X and Telegram, making it an independent digital worker.
4. Persistent Cloud Processing: Even if your device disconnects, Manus continues working in the background and notifies you once the task is complete.
5. Low Cost & High Accessibility: OpenAI’s advanced models cost up to $200/month, but Manus is free for now and will likely be offered at an affordable price in the future. This makes it a cost-effective AI agent, similar to how DeepSeek disrupted the market with its $0.50/month pricing model.

Manus AI is more than just a chatbot—it is an AI worker specialized in executing tasks. Its popularity has already led to the creation of fake meme coins in the market claiming to be Manus coins. However, it’s important to focus on genuine AI agent tokens that are worth monitoring.

AI Agent Tokens To Watch:

• FET ($1.2bn market cap): Factors to watch for FET include an upcoming 5 million token burn event, reducing supply and increasing scarcity, along with strategic blockchain integrations.
• Virtuals ($366 million market cap): Virtuals has a revenue-sharing model where 30% goes to AI agent creators, 20% to affiliates, and 50% to governance.
• AI16Z (ElizaOS) ($197 million market cap): AI16Z, now rebranded as ElizaOS, is working on major upgrades that include full autonomy, wallet abstraction, and advanced plugin capabilities.

Though the AI crypto sector has faced heavy losses in recent months, the entry of Manus AI has sparked a new cycle of AI hype. Only time will tell how Manus AI’s official launch will impact the crypto market. As always, it’s important to do your research and consult financial advisors before making any investment decisions. What are your thoughts on China’s Manus AI? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more important updates.

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