Yichao “Peak” Ji, the co-founder of artificial intelligence (AI) startup Manus, has refuted any connection between the project and cryptocurrency ventures.
Following the sudden suspension of the project’s official X account shortly after its launch, Ji publicly addressed the issue to dispel any misconceptions. In a statement shared on X, Ji suggested that references to cryptocurrency scams by third parties might have led to the suspension. He made it clear that Manus is not involved in cryptocurrency projects, token issuance, or blockchain initiatives.
Ji cautioned that any crypto-related ventures claiming links to Manus are fraudulent. He underscored that legal action is being taken against imposters and urged users to report suspicious accounts to combat misinformation. It is important to note that Manus’ official account on X has since been reinstated.
Despite Ji’s efforts to clarify the situation, the crypto market tells a different story. Various tokens under the name “Manus” have emerged on decentralized exchanges (DEX), with some debuting on the project’s launch day and others being created just hours later.
Nevertheless, most of these tokens experienced crashes shortly after coming into existence, raising concerns about potential scams.
“Manus AI unintentionally became a target for exploitation by shady cryptocurrency projects that appeared out of nowhere as it gained sudden popularity,” one user claimed.
The proliferation of these tokens underscores a persistent issue in the crypto sphere, where developers leverage trends to deceive investors.
Amid the ensuing controversy, it is crucial to grasp the essence of Manus. The project entails a next-generation AI agent developed by the AI company Monica, with Ji describing it as a pioneering advancement in human-machine collaboration and a potential step toward AGI.
Manus operates autonomously, executing tasks without requiring detailed human guidance. The project has garnered praise for its cutting-edge capabilities.
Renowned AI educator Min Choi lauded the development, stating, “China’s Manus AI has just been released, revolutionizing the AI agent landscape.”
The AI agent excels in various undertakings, such as personalized travel planning, data analysis, content creation, and productivity enhancement. Notably, Manus has surpassed OpenAI Deep Research across all three stages of the GAIA benchmark. Presently, Manus is undergoing an early preview phase, and invitations can be requested solely through the official website.