2 months ago
Fri Nov 28, 2025 4:29pm PST
Ask HN: How to Differentiate a General Agent from Manus?
I'm building a General Purpose Agent in the B2C space. The benchmark is Manus (autonomously execute complex, multi-step tasks over time).

I'm currently stuck in a strategic loop:

1. The Clone Trap: If I just build another "Chat + Tools" interface, I have no moat. Minor UI tweaks won't save a startup against a category leader.

2. The Hammer Trap: On the other hand, trying to differentiate often feels like "holding a hammer looking for a nail." I'm terrified of building rigid workflows or "innovative" features that users didn't actually ask for, just to look different.

The Question:

For a General Agent, does differentiation strictly have to come from narrowing the domain (niche vertical)?

Or is there a real opportunity to innovate on the interaction layer (beyond the chat box) without arbitrarily constraining the user?

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