A few days ago, a new AI model dropped.

China just released Manis, an open-source general AI agent that supposedly "changes everything."

That’s what the headlines say.

But does it really?

• Manis is marketed as an autonomous AI agent—it can browse the web, run Python scripts, and even edit podcasts on its own.
• Unlike ChatGPT, it doesn’t wait for instructions—it initiates tasks itself.
• The demos make it look lightning fast, effortlessly completing complex tasks.

If true, this would be huge.

But here’s the problem:

AI demos are often carefully designed happy paths—they show ideal scenarios, not real-world performance.

• Is Manis actually this fast? Unlikely.
• Is it truly "autonomous"? Sort of—but this isn’t new.
• Is it really open-source? That depends on your definition.

Most "open-source" AI models only release weights, not the training data. Without that, you have no idea what biases or limitations exist in the model.

And here’s the bigger question: Why is China pushing open-source AI while the West locks theirs down?

Some argue it’s about control. If China wins the AI race, they shape the narrative—deciding what information people see and trust.

I break it all down in my latest video, including:
• Why AI agent demos are often misleading
• The real capabilities of Manis
• What China’s AI strategy means for the future

Watch it here → https://youtu.be/IXxVdGXjR3w

What do you think?
Is Manis the future of AI agents, or just another overhyped demo?

Luke

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