New Delhi: Manus, the AI startup that was acquired by Meta in late 2025, has rolled out its AI Agents feature directly inside Telegram. The move marks its first live messaging integration, even before WhatsApp or Messenger. The rollout began this week and is available across all subscription tiers.
The launch is significant for two reasons. First, it pushes agent style AI into everyday chat apps. Second, it comes at a time when Meta’s acquisition of Manus is still under review by Chinese authorities. Telegram is the first supported platform, with more messaging apps expected soon.
Manus agents arrive inside the Telegram chat
In its official blog, the company wrote, “Today, we’re introducing Manus Agents — a new way to access and use Manus directly inside your messaging apps. Telegram is the first supported channel. Manus Agents with Telegram support is available today to all users across all subscription tiers, with more platforms coming soon.”
Instead of logging into a web dashboard, users connect Telegram by scanning a QR code inside the Agents tab. The blog explains, “Open the Agents tab in your Manus workspace, scan a QR code, and link Telegram in about a minute. No command lines, configuration files, or API tokens required.”
Once connected, Telegram becomes a front door to the full Manus engine. The company stresses, “This is not a lightweight chatbot add-on. It’s the same Manus — with full reasoning, tools, and multi-step task execution — now available through chat.”
What the Manus AI agent can actually do
According to Manus, the Telegram version supports the same multi step reasoning used on its web platform. Users can:
- Launch multi step research tasks
- Process data and generate structured reports or PDFs
- Send voice messages for transcription
- Upload images for editing or content creation
- Share documents for analysis
Users can switch between Manus 1.6 Max and Manus 1.6 Lite. The blog states, “Manus 1.6 Max is optimized for complex, multi-step reasoning and creative tasks. Manus 1.6 Lite is built for speed — ideal for quick questions, summaries, and lightweight tasks.”
Importantly, Manus addresses privacy concerns clearly. The company says, “Your Manus agent only has access to the messages you send directly to it in your private chat. It cannot see, read, or interact with any of your other conversations, groups, or contacts.”
Why Telegram first, not WhatsApp?
The Telegram first strategy stands out. Meta owns WhatsApp and Messenger, yet Manus chose Telegram as its first live channel. The acquisition is still under regulatory review in China, which may explain the cautious rollout. It also gives Manus space to test agent reliability before tighter brand integration.
Agent software has faced scrutiny recently. OpenClaw, a similar AI agent stack, drew attention for complex setup and unpredictable operating costs. Manus appears to position its system as simpler. The blog notes, “The idea of a personal AI agent in chat isn’t new — but in practice, most solutions require complex setup, ongoing maintenance, and unpredictable costs.”
Manus Agents is described as a lower friction path. Connect, chat, execute.
More messaging platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, LINE, Slack and Discord are expected in the coming weeks.