Transforming a Research Paper into a Conference Presentation with Manus AI

In this experiment, we tested Manus AI’s ability to generate a full academic presentation from a research paper. The tool produced a slide deck that was functional and visually adequate, though not every slide was directly usable. The Manus AI interface supported adjustments before downloading—such as modifying layout, font size, and text flow—which made it possible to prepare a workable presentation. The system also extracted figures directly from the research paper and inserted them into the slides with short explanations, a useful but sometimes uneven feature.

Input file

For this test, we provided Manus AI with two inputs: first, the full text of our research paper, and second, the detailed 15-slide outline previously generated with Claude Sonnet 4.5, which we discussed in an earlier blog post. The combination of a complete scholarly article and a structured outline gave Manus AI both the raw material and a suggested narrative arc, enabling us to evaluate how effectively the tool could transform academic content into a coherent presentation.

Output

The Manus AI output proved most useful where it highlighted definitions and selected figures from the paper, integrating them into the slides with short explanatory notes. These inclusions made the presentation more coherent, especially in sections where typologies and classifications benefited from visual support.

At the same time, not every slide was ready to use as generated: layout, font size, and text balance required some refinement. The platform’s editing options before download made those adjustments straightforward, allowing us to produce a presentation that was clear enough for academic delivery.

Taken as a whole, the presentation followed the outline effectively, with the key elements of the paper clearly represented. While some editing was necessary, the resulting deck of 15 slides was broadly usable. Since we had not set any expectations for style or colour palette, Manus AI produced a simple, clean design that prioritised clarity over visual flourish—sufficient for an academic conference setting.

Recommendations

For academic or other content-heavy presentations, it is useful to separate the preparation into two steps. The first is to develop a detailed outline that specifies the intended content of each slide, ensuring conceptual accuracy and narrative coherence. The second is to combine this outline with the underlying research paper or professional material in a slide-generation tool, followed by light editing to adjust layout, text balance, or design. This workflow helps ensure that the resulting presentation remains both faithful to the source material and practically usable in a conference setting.