MENLO PARK, Calif. — Meta Platforms announced Monday it will acquire Manus, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence startup known for developing autonomous “general AI agents”. While official financial terms were not disclosed, sources familiar with the matter value the transaction between $2 billion and $3 billion.
The acquisition marks a significant escalation in Meta’s efforts to integrate agentic AI across its ecosystem. Unlike traditional chatbots, Manus’s technology reportedly executes complex tasks with minimal prompting, with performance metrics that the company claims surpass OpenAI’s DeepResearch. Meta plans to incorporate these capabilities into its consumer and business suites, specifically targeting Meta AI and its WhatsApp small-business footprint.
Manus gained international attention earlier this year after its autonomous agent went viral, drawing comparisons to China’s DeepSeek. Originally founded in China, the company recently relocated its headquarters to Singapore to mitigate geopolitical risks stemming from U.S.-China trade tensions. Despite its origins, Manus’s products are not available in the Chinese market.
The deal follows a pattern of aggressive AI investments by Meta, which recently participated in a $29 billion valuation round for Scale AI. Manus is currently backed by prominent investors including Benchmark, Tencent, and HSG (formerly Sequoia Capital China). Analysts anticipate the deal will face intense regulatory scrutiny in Washington due to the startup’s Chinese roots and the sensitive nature of advanced AI technology.
Analysis: The Rise of Agentic AI and Geopolitical Navigation
The acquisition of Manus underscores a pivotal shift in the artificial intelligence landscape: the transition from conversational interfaces to “agentic” AI. While current models like ChatGPT primarily provide information, autonomous agents are designed to execute multi-step workflows—such as booking travel, managing supply chains, or performing deep market research—without constant human intervention. For Meta, integrating this into WhatsApp’s small-business tools could transform the app from a messaging platform into a fully automated digital storefront.
Furthermore, Manus’s relocation to Singapore highlights the “China plus one” strategy increasingly adopted by high-tech firms. To avoid being caught in the crossfire of U.S. export controls and investment bans, startups are distancing themselves from their Chinese origins to secure Western capital and acquisitions. However, as industry experts note, “Chinese roots” remain a red flag for U.S. regulators, suggesting that Meta’s path to closing this deal may involve rigorous national security reviews.
