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You’re Still Paying for AI? That’s Just Dumb

Unlocking the Future of Automation: How Agentic Seek Empowers You with Local AI Agents

When Manis AI first launched, it became clear that interconnected AI agents are rapidly transforming how we interact with computers. Tasks that traditionally required human input—browsing, processing information, writing, coding, even complex projects like tax preparation—can now be automated by AI agents equipped with powerful tools such as browsers and local file access. This evolution signals a shift where human-computer interaction is fading, replaced by seamless AI task execution.

The Promise and Cost of Manis AI

Manis AI impresses by handling real-world tasks on your behalf. However, this convenience comes at a price. Their basic plan costs $19 per month and provides 1,900 credits monthly, with 300 refresh credits daily. Yet, credit usage adds up fast—creating a simple chart can consume most of your daily quota, and developing a web app costs nearly half your monthly credits. For those wanting extensive AI assistance, these costs can escalate quickly.

Enter Agentic Seek: The Open-Source Alternative

Recognizing the limitations of subscription-based AI agents, I discovered Agentic Seek, an open-source solution that offers similar capabilities but runs entirely locally on your own computer—no subscriptions, no credit limits, and full privacy. If your machine is powerful enough, you can harness this tool completely free. Even if your hardware isn’t top-tier, Agentic Seek supports API connections to providers like OpenAI and Hugging Face, offering a more affordable alternative to Manis AI.

How Agentic Seek Works: A Closer Look

Agentic Seek operates through multiple specialized agents collaborating to accomplish complex workflows. For example, in a demo, the agent was tasked with matching job candidates to project requirements:

  • The planner agent browsed GitHub to analyze project descriptions and skill requirements.
  • It then extracted candidate resumes from a zip file.
  • The agent reviewed each profile, compared skills against project needs, and ranked the best matches.

All of this was automated end-to-end with zero manual prompts or inputs—a process that would typically require significant human effort and multiple tools.

I also tested Agentic Seek by asking it to find popular sci-fi movies from 2024 and save recommendations in a text file. The agent autonomously searched multiple sources, created the file, and delivered well-curated results. Even when I doubled the sources to search, the process completed in a reasonable 8 minutes, showing impressive flexibility and efficiency.

Setting Up Agentic Seek: Step-by-Step Guide

If you're excited to try Agentic Seek, here’s how to get started:

  1. Clone the Repository
    Head to the official GitHub page (link in description) and clone the repo to your machine.

  2. Set Up Your Python Environment
    Create a virtual Python environment (Python 3.10 required). Note: Python 3.10 is essential for compatibility.

  3. Install Dependencies
    Use the installation script matching your OS (Windows, Mac OS, or Linux) to install all required packages.

  4. Configure the Agent
    Edit the config.ini file to specify whether you want to run the agent locally or connect via an external API.

  5. Local Mode: Requires powerful GPUs (at least an RTX 3060 for 14B models, RTX 4090 for 32B models) to achieve good performance.

  6. API Mode: Supports OpenAI, DeepS, Hugging Face, Together AI, and Google. (Note: Claude is not yet supported.)
    Enter your API keys in the .env file.

  7. Enable Optional Features
    You can activate "headless" browser mode to run silently or enable voice interaction for conversational AI.

  8. Run Docker and Start Agent Services
    Since Agentic Seek is containerized, start Docker first, then launch backend and frontend services using provided commands. Run backend and frontend in separate terminal windows.
    Important: Always run backend with python3.10 api.py to avoid startup issues.

  9. Access Your Agent
    Open your browser to localhost:3000 to start interacting with your AI agent.

Why Agentic Seek Matters

Agentic Seek showcases the power and potential of open-source AI agents. Unlike subscription models that restrict usage and raise costs, this project empowers users to take full control of their AI assistant. It’s private, flexible, and scalable—provided you have the hardware or prefer a more affordable API route.

Final Thoughts

The AI agent revolution is here, and tools like Agentic Seek are democratizing access to automation. Whether you're a developer, researcher, or tech enthusiast, setting up your own local AI agent can transform your workflow and open new possibilities without the burden of ongoing costs.

If you want to support ongoing tutorials and explorations into AI tools like Agentic Seek, consider subscribing or joining membership tiers for priority responses and early access to content.

Ready to explore? Check out the GitHub repository, follow the setup guide, and unleash the power of AI agents on your own terms. The future of automation is in your hands.

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