Meta Buys Manus: AI Adventure Awaits
- Sarah Ruivivar
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
In a move that has the tech world buzzing, Meta has announced its acquisition of Manus, a Chinese-founded AI startup, as reported by Reuters.
This exciting venture is set to supercharge Meta's AI capabilities, with the deal valuing Manus at a staggering $2-3 billion. Talk about a power play!
Manus made waves earlier this year when it unveiled what it claimed to be the world's first general AI agent. This AI marvel can make decisions and execute tasks autonomously, needing far less prompting than its chatbot cousins like ChatGPT. It's no wonder it was hailed as China's next big thing, even getting a nod from Chinese state television!
However, in a strategic move to sidestep U.S.-China tensions, Manus shifted its headquarters from China to Singapore. Jeremy Goldman from Emarketer notes that anything with Chinese roots and "AI" in the headline is bound to catch Washington's attention. Manus, which doesn't offer its products in China, boasts an AI agent that reportedly outperforms OpenAI's DeepResearch and has a strategic partnership with Alibaba.
Want to hear more? Join Mal & Matt on the Property AI Report Podcast each week!
Access from your preferred podcast provider by clicking here
Meta's plan? To weave Manus's cutting-edge technology into its consumer and business products, including Meta AI. Barton Crockett from Rosenblatt Securities highlights the synergy with Meta's WhatsApp SMB footprint and Mark Zuckerberg's AI vision. This acquisition is part of Meta's broader strategy to dominate the AI landscape, following its investment in Scale AI earlier this year.
Backed by Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology, Manus recently raised $75 million, with U.S. venture firm Benchmark leading the charge. As Meta continues to bolster its AI arsenal, the tech world eagerly watches to see what innovations this dynamic duo will unleash next!
Want to hear more? Join Mal & Matt on the Property AI Report Podcast each week!
Access from your preferred podcast provider by clicking here
Made with TRUST_AI - see the Charter: https://www.modelprop.co.uk/trust-ai
Comments