Manus launches personal AI agents on Telegram, with WhatsApp and Slack support coming soon

Manus launches personal AI agents in Telegram, with more messaging apps to come - SiliconANGLE

Manus launches personal AI agents in Telegram, with more messaging apps to come Meta Platforms Inc.'s agentic artificial intelligence tool Manus said today it's going to integrate its platform with popular messaging applications including Telegram, WhatsApp, LINE and Slack. To kick things off, it's launching Manus Agents in Telegram first of all, giving users of that app the opportunity to create their very own, personal AI agent. Unlike traditional chatbots, Manus is designed to perform complex tasks on behalf of users, such as searching for an apartment to rent, booking a hotel, building a website and ordering food from a restaurant. The idea of a personal agent that can do these kinds of things inside messaging apps isn't new. OpenClaw has gotten quite a lot of attention recently for doing similar things, but the challenge is that it's not easy to set up, and requires complex maintenance. Manus Agents, on the other hand, is designed to be simple to use, so people can focus on the things it does, rather than trying to get it to work. Users can connect their Manus agent to their Telegram account simply by scanning a QR code. Once they do so, they'll have access to all of the capabilities found in the regular Manus platform. "This is not a lightweight chatbot add-on," the company said in a blog post. "It's the same Manus -- with full reasoning, tools, and multi-step task execution -- now available through chat." According to Manus, Telegram users will be able to ask their personal Manus agent to perform tasks ranging from research to data processing to creating PDF files directly within the app. Users have plenty of customization options too, such as being able to specify the tone of its responses - concise, structured or conversational. They can also switch between different Manus models, including Manus 1.6 Lite for quick responses and Manus 1.6 Max for deeper reasoning and creative work. The company suggested a number of possible use cases for Manus in Telegram, including weekly meeting preparation, creating profile images or generating videos from a simple photo. Manus co-founder Tao Zhang said in a post on X that the company plans to accelerate the rollout of Manus Agents on messaging apps over the next 30 days, with support for WhatsApp, LINE, Slack and Discord coming very soon. It's also planning to launch native Windows and Mac apps, and give Manus the ability to operate user's PCs on their behalf. Manus, which first shot to fame in March last year, was acquired by Meta in December. According to Meta's announcement at the time, it intends to maintain Manus as a separate product for the time being, while simultaneously integrating its technology into its own platforms, including Meta AI. "Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made," Manus Chief Executive Xiao Hong said at the time.

Meta-owned Manus launches AI agents on Telegram

Manus Agents launches on Telegram first despite being owned by WhatsApp-parent Meta. After bursting onto the scene last March with its "revolutionary" AI agent - according to a glowing Forbes report - the Chinese-founded Manus is introducing personal agents in messaging apps, starting with Telegram. According to Manus, its in-chat agent has "full reasoning, tools and multi-step task execution" abilities. Telegram users can conduct research, structure data and make requests entirely through chat. The agent can transcribe voice and "understand intent" to execute tasks, Manus added. Manus Agents is similar to the Austrian-made open source OpenClaw, which was acquired by OpenAI over the weekend. Users can switch between two versions of the AI model - Manus1.6 Max for tasks requiring deeper reasoning and creativity, and Manus1.6 Lite for faster, everyday tasks. Manus Agents can be initiated on Telegram via a QR code on the platform. It promises that the AI agent only has access to the messages users send it directly. "It cannot see, read, or interact with any of your other conversations, groups, or contacts," the Meta-acquired start-up said. Manus Agents is available on Telegram across all subscription tiers. In a post on X, Manus co-founder Zhang Tao said that the agents will be available on WhatsApp, Line, Slack and Discord "very soon". Manus is headquartered in Singapore, but has a Chinese parent company called Butterfly Effect Technology. Late last year, Manus was acquired by Meta for its agentic offerings in a deal valued at more than $2bn. The acquisition came after a $75m funding round last April that valued the Chinese-founded AI start-up at $500m. As per the deal, Meta can operate and sell the Manus service, as well as integrate it into its own products. However, Manus would still be able to sell its subscriptions through its own app and website. China's Ministry of Commerce launched an investigation shortly following the acquisition to determine whether Manus violated the country's laws on technology exports and outbound investment. According to the rules, the Chinese government needs to approve the export of certain technologies, including AI. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.