China’s AI agent race heats up: Genspark and Flowith challenge Manus’ lead

China's AI agent market is heating up as Genspark and Flowith emerge as strong challengers to Manus, the Wuhan-based AI agent developed by Butterfly Effect.

Manus, which recently secured $75 million in funding led by US venture capital firm Benchmark, has been aggressively expanding with a global roadshow and new hires.

Unlike narrow AI tools, Manus is designed as a "general" agent to assist with everyday tasks such as trip planning, stock comparison, and school projects.

However, Genspark and Flowith are already making waves by posting benchmark scores that match or surpass Manus, intensifying competition.

Manus cofounder Xiao Hong highlighted the pricing advantage, noting, "You can price in USD, and with the exchange rate that’s a sevenfold multiplier."

The startups are focusing on the global market, as Western AI models are largely inaccessible within China’s internet firewalls.

This dynamic signals a rapidly evolving AI landscape in China, with multiple players vying to lead in versatile AI agents that go beyond business-specific tasks to everyday personal assistance.

As the competition grows, the race to innovate and capture global users is accelerating, positioning China’s AI agents as significant contenders on the world stage.

China's AI agent race intensifies as startups Genspark and Flowith challenge Manus, a Wuhan-based AI developed by Butterfly Effect. Manus recently raised $75 million led by Benchmark, expanding globally. New rivals boast benchmark scores matching or surpassing Manus, signaling fierce competition in AI agents designed for everyday tasks.