Meta Acquires Chinese-Founded AI Startup Manus in Strategic Move to Supercharge Advanced AI Integration

Meta acquires AI startup Manus for over $2 billion to accelerate autonomous AI integration across its platforms, securing advanced agent technology and commercial revenue gains.

Meta Platforms Inc. has solidified its ambitious push into the artificial intelligence frontier by agreeing to acquire Manus, a Singapore-based startup originally founded in China, in a transaction valued at over $2 billion. The deal, which marks one of Meta’s largest AI-related acquisitions this year, reflects the company’s drive to integrate cutting-edge autonomous AI technology across its suite of social and messaging platforms.

Manus, launched in 2025, garnered global attention after unveiling what it describes as the world’s first general-purpose AI agent—an intelligent system capable of independently executing complex workflows such as market research, data analysis, coding support, and task automation with minimal human prompting. This “agentic AI” distinguishes itself from conventional chatbot models by delivering action-oriented automation rather than just conversational responses.

Before the acquisition, Manus achieved impressive commercial traction, reporting an annual recurring revenue exceeding $100 million within only months of its debut. The startup’s rapid growth and revenue-generating subscription model made it a rare example of a high-performance AI product with strong market validation—an attractive complement to Meta’s larger strategic investments in AI infrastructure and competence.

Meta has confirmed that all Chinese ownership interests in Manus AI will be fully severed, and the startup’s services will no longer operate in China post-transaction—a move likely aimed at addressing geopolitical and regulatory sensitivities. The company also emphasized that existing Manus subscriptions will continue, and the technology will be integrated into Meta’s consumer and business products, including Meta AI, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg has consistently prioritized generative AI as a core growth pillar, committing billions to develop competitive AI capabilities. This acquisition follows Meta’s significant investments in data-focused AI ventures and comes amid an intensifying global race for autonomous AI innovation. Industry analysts describe the Manus deal as potentially transformative, giving Meta a revenue-proven AI product and bolstering its competitive stance against rivals like OpenAI and Google.