Debut of Manus AI digital assistant from China causes stir

A new Chinese artificial intelligence agent billed as able to work independently from humans has sent insiders buzzing — some with concern and others with disappointment.

The Butterfly Effect startup has been working quietly for the past year on its AI digital assistant Manus, co-founder Yichao “Peak” Ji said in a launch video posted on YouTube.

“We see it as the next paradigm of human-machine collaboration, and potentially a glimpse into AGI,” he said, referencing general artificial intelligence that aims to think the way humans do.

Manus launched in…