Meta to acquire Chinese AI startup Manus AI in a $2 billion deal

Meta-Manus

• Meta to acquire Manus AI for over $2 billion to boost its AI agent capabilities
• Manus AI's tech will be integrated into Meta AI and enterprise tools
• The deal is part of Meta's broader strategy to invest in advanced AI systems

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Meta has revealed its plans to acquire Manus AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence startup, in a move aimed at accelerating the deployment of advanced AI features across its platforms in order to improve its AI agents and automation as competition in the global AI market intensifies.

According to report by Reuters, the acquisition values Manus at over $2 billion, although Meta has not officially disclosed the financial terms. The company said the move would help it integrate more capable AI systems into both consumer-facing and business products.

Why Manus AI matters to Meta

Manus AI is known for developing a general-purpose AI agent designed to operate like a digital employee. The system can carry out tasks such as research, data handling, and workflow automation with minimal user input. Earlier this year, Manus claimed its AI agent outperformed comparable research-focused AI tools in internal testing.

The report also highlights that Meta plans to operate and commercialise the Manus AI agent, integrating it into services such as Meta AI and other enterprise tools. The company believes these capabilities will help make its AI offerings more practical for real-world use cases.

Part of a larger AI investment strategy

The Manus deal is part of a broader pattern of AI-focused investments by Meta. Earlier this year, the company invested in Scale AI, valuing the data-labeling firm at $29 billion and bringing its CEO Alexandr Wang closer into Meta’s ecosystem.

Meta has been steadily increasing spending on AI infrastructure, talent acquisition, and strategic partnerships to keep pace with rivals developing large language models and AI agents.

Manus AI operates out of Singapore, a trend seen among several Chinese technology firms seeking operational stability amid ongoing US-China tensions. For Meta, the acquisition offers access to mature AI agent technology while reinforcing its position in a crowded and fast-moving AI landscape.