Meta's Manus launches desktop app to bring its AI agent onto personal devices amid OpenClaw craze

In a significant development for artificial intelligence, the start-up Manus, recently acquired by Meta, has introduced a desktop application designed to bring its AI agent to personal laptops. Previously confined to cloud operations and accessible only via a web platform, the Manus AI agent can now perform complex, multi-step tasks directly on users' devices. The new Manus Desktop application features a tool called 'My Computer,' which enables the AI to interact with local files, software, and applications. This advancement positions Manus more closely with OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent that also operates on local devices. OpenClaw, launched by Austrian software developer Peter Steinberger, has gained significant traction in the AI community, with Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang dubbing it the 'next ChatGPT' during a recent CNBC interview. While OpenClaw is free and open-source under an MIT license, Manus operates primarily as a paid subscription service. Manus claims that its My Computer feature allows the AI agent to read, analyze, edit files, and control applications on a user's machine. For instance, users can direct the AI to organize extensive collections of images stored on their hard drives. Additionally, My Computer is compatible with coding applications, enabling the creation of apps in mere minutes. These capabilities complement Manus's existing services, including integration with platforms like Google Calendar and Gmail. However, as the use of AI agents grows, experts have raised concerns about potential security and privacy risks associated with granting these agents access to local devices. In response, Manus emphasized that My Computer will maintain user control by requiring explicit permission for task execution. Users can choose options such as 'Allow Once' for individual tasks or 'Always Allow' for trusted recurring actions. Meta announced its acquisition of Manus on December 29, 2025, with the intent to enhance its AI offerings and incorporate Manus's autonomous technology into its suite of products, including the Meta AI assistant. Originally founded in China, Manus later relocated its headquarters to Singapore, where the $2 billion acquisition is under scrutiny by Chinese regulators for possible technology control violations.