A China-founded start-up that specialises in artificial intelligence agents was acquired by US tech giant Meta Platforms for billions of dollars, marking a landmark deal amid US-China competition in AI technology.
The acquisition of Singapore-based Manus just nine months after its public launch in March underlines China’s AI competitiveness despite Washington’s efforts to deprive its rival of access to advanced US chips and funding.
According to announcements from both sides, Manus would integrate its technology into Meta’s platforms and continue operating from Singapore, where it relocated to in July in an apparent move to manage geopolitical risks arising from US-China competition. It had been based in central China’s Wuhan and in Beijing.
Meta said in a statement that it was taking in Manus “to bring a leading agent to billions of people and unlock opportunities for businesses across our products”. It said Manus was serving the daily needs of “millions of users and businesses worldwide”.
