Meta (META.O) announced on Monday that it will acquire Chinese-founded artificial intelligence startup Manus to accelerate its integration of advanced AI across its platforms (29/12).

Financial terms were not disclosed, but a source familiar with the deal valued the Singapore-based firm between $2 billion and $3 billion.

Manus’ Autonomous AI Agent Gains Global Attention

Manus, once hailed as China’s next DeepSeek, gained attention earlier this year by releasing what it described as the world’s first general AI agent. The agent can make decisions and execute tasks autonomously, requiring far less prompting than traditional AI chatbots.

Support from Beijing and a Strategic Partnership with Alibaba

The company has drawn interest from Beijing, which has shown support for Manus. The startup claims its AI agent outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch. Manus also collaborates with Alibaba (9988.HK) to develop their AI models through a strategic partnership.

Meta Plans to Integrate Manus Across Products

Meta said it will operate and sell the Manus service while integrating it into Meta AI and other consumer and business products, expanding its AI offerings.

Chinese Firms Moving to Singapore Amid Global Tensions

Manus is backed by its parent company, Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology, and raised $75 million this year at a valuation of around $500 million, led by U.S. venture firm Benchmark. Many Chinese companies, including Manus, have moved operations to Singapore in recent years to reduce risks from Sino-U.S. geopolitical tensions.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

This article was created with AI assistance.