Use an agent to build reporter and rental lists

A reporter had Manus gather topic experts, scan apartment ads, and identify award nominees, then stepped in when the results were incomplete or blocked.

Done with Manus· Intermediate· Mar 2025

What they did
They gave Manus three separate jobs: find China tech reporters, look for two-bedroom rentals in New York City that fit several filters, and collect nominees for the 50 Innovators Under 35 list. They monitored the browser, handled captchas themselves, and corrected the agent when the first pass was too weak. After that, the reporter list grew to 30 names and the apartment criteria were relaxed around outdoor space.
How it went
The reporter list took just over an hour, and the housing search finished in under 30 minutes. The award task ran for about three hours but returned only three full profiles, and the 50-name list was uneven. The session ended when the system warned that too much input would be a problem.
Tips
This works best when you can watch the agent and step in for logins, paywalls, and captchas. Keep a close eye on verification and be ready to narrow or loosen criteria if the first pass comes back thin.

Try it yourself with Manus

Find [number] [reporters/contacts/nominees] related to [topic or award] and return a table with [fields you want]. Use only sources you can verify, and clearly flag anything uncertain instead of filling it in. If you hit a paywall, captcha, or blocked page, pause and tell me what you need. Before you spend money, submit anything, or make any irreversible change, stop and ask for my approval. Keep going until you have [target number] solid entries or you have exhausted reliable sources.

Fill in the [brackets]. Agents can make mistakes, so review anything before it is sent, paid or deleted.

Read the original on technologyreview.com ↗

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