Meta acquires Manus AI in $2 billion deal
Meta has announced the acquisition of Manus AI, the Singapore-based autonomous AI agent startup, in one of the largest AI deals of the year. The acquisition is valued at over $2 billion, with some reports suggesting the deal could reach $3 billion including a $500 million retention pool for Manus employees.
Key Highlights
- Deal value: $2-3 billion, one of Meta's largest AI acquisitions
- Leadership: Manus CEO Xiao Hong becomes VP at Meta
- Integration: Technology to power Meta AI, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp
- Operations: Manus will continue subscription service from Singapore
- Strategy: Meta accelerates AI agent leadership against OpenAI and Google
About Manus AI
Manus AI launched in March 2025 and quickly gained attention for its ability to autonomously complete complex tasks—a significant leap beyond traditional chatbots. The platform can independently perform market research, generate code, analyze data, and create complete work products without continuous human supervision.
Originally founded in China in 2022 under parent company Butterfly Effect, Manus relocated its headquarters to Singapore earlier in 2025 to mitigate geopolitical concerns and position itself for international growth.
Strategic Implications
The acquisition signals Meta's aggressive push into the AI agent space, competing directly with OpenAI's GPT-based assistants and Google's Gemini. By integrating Manus's autonomous capabilities into its 3+ billion user platforms, Meta aims to offer advanced AI automation for both consumer and business applications.
"This acquisition represents more than just a technology purchase—it's Meta's statement that the future of AI is autonomous agents that can work independently on behalf of users."
What's Next
Manus's technology is expected to be integrated into Meta AI and its family of apps throughout 2026. The Manus team will join Meta's AI division, while continuing to operate its existing subscription service independently from Singapore.