Meta is set to acquire Chinese-founded artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the technology giant accelerates efforts to embed advanced AI capabilities across its consumer and enterprise platforms.
According to Reuters, sources familiar with the transaction estimate the deal value at between $2 billion and $3 billion, although official financial terms have not been disclosed by either party.
The acquisition highlights Meta’s intensifying focus on developing scalable, revenue-generating AI products amid fierce global competition among major technology companies to dominate next-generation artificial intelligence.
Manus, now headquartered in Singapore, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the deal.
The AI startup rose to prominence earlier this year after going viral on X (formerly Twitter) with the launch of what it described as the world’s first general AI agent. Unlike conventional chatbots, Manus claimed its system can autonomously make decisions and execute complex tasks with minimal user input.
The company was widely dubbed “China’s next DeepSeek” and has attracted interest from Chinese regulators as well as leading global technology firms. Manus has also stated that its AI agent outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch on certain tasks and maintains a strategic partnership with Alibaba to collaborate on AI model development.
For Meta, the acquisition would further strengthen its AI ecosystem as it seeks to integrate advanced autonomous agents across products such as social media, advertising, productivity tools, and enterprise services.
