Thought Artisan

Jan 1, 2026 · Artificial Intelligence

Manus Acquisition Shows: Agent Engineering Outvalues Model Training

The author reflects on Manus's acquisition by Meta, arguing that the real value in AI lies not in training foundation models but in engineering the last mile—memory systems, tool sandboxes, and agent frameworks—that turn non-deterministic LLMs into reliable products, while analyzing five business models for AI companies.