Manus AI Challenges Industry Giants with New Text-to-Video Generation Feature

Manus AI Launches Text-to-Video Feature to Compete with OpenAI and Google | AIM

The service is currently available for early access to Basic, Plus, and Pro subscribers, with plans to open it to all users soon. Manus AI Agent has introduced a text-to-video generation service that converts text prompts into fully structured and sequenced video stories. The new feature allows users to create videos by planning scenes, crafting visuals, and animating content based on a single prompt. The company shared on X that the service is currently available for early access to Basic, Plus, and Pro subscribers, with plans to open it to all users soon. This move directly challenges established offerings such as OpenAI's Sora, which is available via ChatGPT Pro at $200 per month, along with other Western competitors like Runway, Synthesia, and Google, which use subscription or pay-per-use models. Though relatively unknown until the release of its AI agent earlier this year, Manus quickly gained attention, especially after its parent company, Butterfly Effect, secured investment from prominent Silicon Valley firm Benchmark Capital amid rising US-China tensions in AI development. Manus AI recently partnered with Microsoft's Azure AI Foundry as well. Unlike traditional AI chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT, DeepSeek) that respond to prompts, Manus autonomously plans, executes, and completes complex multi-step tasks without continuous human input. It operates asynchronously in the cloud, allowing users to delegate tasks that continue running even when offline. Manus uses a multi-agent system with specialised sub-agents for planning, execution, and knowledge retrieval, enabling it to break down and manage complex workflows autonomously. Meanwhile, the text-to-video generation space is rapidly evolving, with Chinese tech giants Alibaba and Tencent pushing open-source alternatives that challenge proprietary Western models.

AI Upstart Manus Starts Text-to-Video Service to Take On OpenAI

Manus' owner Butterfly Effect snagged funds from Silicon Valley investors Manus unveiled a text-to-video generation feature, entering a competitive segment populated by rivals from OpenAI to China's Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings. The upstart, whose AI service is known for its ability to carry out multistep tasks the way humans do, said users can now similarly generate videos with text instructions. Its AI agent can transform a text command into a structured, sequenced video story in minutes, the company said on X. Paid subscribers get early access before Manus rolls out the feature for free for everyone. The company is taking on competitors like OpenAI's Sora, which is available to paid subscribers via ChatGPT, with the Pro version costing $200 (roughly Rs. 17,183) a month. Other Western contenders like Runway, Synthesia and Google price their offerings based on subscription or pay-per-use. Manus, which has Chinese roots, was little known until the debut of its AI agent this year, just weeks after peer DeepSeek rattled the global market with its cost-efficient model. Manus' owner Butterfly Effect made global headlines for snagging venture funds from high-profile Silicon Valley investor Benchmark Capital, right in the midst of escalating US-China tensions in fields including artificial intelligence. Text-to-video model creators are forging ahead with technological advances. Chinese giants' open source products, such as Alibaba's Wan and Tencent's Hunyuan, are challenging proprietary Western competitors. At stake is a multibillion-dollar market with the potential to disrupt industries like entertainment, education and marketing. © 2025 Bloomberg LP

AI upstart Manus starts text-to-video service to take on OpenAI

Manus, an AI upstart known for its human-like AI agent, has launched a text-to-video generation feature, challenging established players like OpenAI and Chinese tech giants. This new capability allows users to create structured video stories from text prompts in minutes. With early access for paid subscribers, Manus enters a competitive market poised to disrupt entertainment, education, and marketing industries.Manus unveiled a text-to-video generation feature, entering a competitive segment populated by rivals from OpenAI to China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd. The upstart, whose AI service is known for its ability to carry out multistep tasks the way humans do, said users can now similarly generate videos with text instructions. Its AI agent can transform a text command into a structured, sequenced video story in minutes, the company said on X. Paid subscribers get early access before Manus rolls out the feature for free for everyone. The company is taking on competitors like OpenAI's Sora, which is available to paid subscribers via ChatGPT, with the Pro version costing $200 a month. Other Western contenders like Runway, Synthesia and Google price their offerings based on subscription or pay-per-use. Manus, which has Chinese roots, was little known until the debut of its AI agent this year, just weeks after peer DeepSeek rattled the global market with its cost-efficient model. Manus' owner Butterfly Effect made global headlines for snagging venture funds from high-profile Silicon Valley investor Benchmark Capital, right in the midst of escalating US-China tensions in fields including artificial intelligence. Text-to-video model creators are forging ahead with technological advances. Chinese giants' open source products, such as Alibaba's Wan and Tencent's Hunyuan, are challenging proprietary Western competitors. At stake is a multibillion-dollar market with the potential to disrupt industries like entertainment, education and marketing.