On March 6, 2025, Manus, the world's first general-purpose AI agent, sparked a global craze among users since its partial internal testing began. However, its scarce invitation codes have caused a stir in the secondary market. Reports indicate that on a certain online trading platform, Manus invitation codes were scalped from 999 yuan to as high as 50,000 yuan, a shocking price. This phenomenon quickly topped social media trends, with netizens exclaiming, "A new frenzy in the AI boom!"
On the same day, a netizen posted a screenshot from Manus' official account on the X platform. The screenshot, watermarked with the Manus logo in the bottom right corner, addressed the recent controversy. The statement from the Manus team clarified: "Thank you for your attention to Manus. We would like to clarify: 1. We have never established any paid channels for obtaining invitation codes; 2. We have never invested in any marketing budget; 3. During the internal testing period, system capacity is limited, and we will prioritize the core experience of existing users and gradually release invitations in an orderly manner." This statement quickly sparked heated discussions, with the topic "#ManusRespondsNoMarketingBudget" trending.
Created by Xiao Hong, a Chinese entrepreneur in his 20s, Manus, with its independent thinking and multitasking capabilities, has stood out in the GAIA benchmark test, generating considerable anticipation. Analysts point out that the sky-high price of invitation codes reflects the fervent market demand for general-purpose AI agents, but also exposes the speculative chaos stemming from supply and demand imbalance. An industry insider commented, "This is both a testament to Manus' popularity and a reminder for the official team to accelerate the opening process to quell speculation."
Netizens have mixed reactions. Some joked, "50,000 yuan for an invitation code? I'd rather wait for the official release." Others supported the official stance: "It's become this popular without spending a dime on marketing; it speaks for itself!" Currently, the Manus official website remains the only application channel. The team stated that it will optimize the internal testing process to ensure fairness and user experience. With the AI boom continuing to heat up, how Manus handles this "invitation code storm" will undoubtedly become a focal point in the industry.