Singapore/Menlo Park — In a major move to bolster its artificial intelligence capabilities, Meta Platforms has acquired Singapore-based startup Manus, a developer of general-purpose AI agents, for a reported sum exceeding $2 billion. The acquisition is aimed at accelerating AI innovation for businesses and integrating advanced automation into Meta's consumer and enterprise products, including its Meta AI assistant.

Manus, which originated in China before relocating its headquarters, launched its first AI agent earlier this year. The company claimed an impressive trajectory, reaching an annualized average revenue of over $100 million within eight months of launch. Its technology, which can perform complex tasks like market research and coding, has already been integrated into tests by Microsoft for Windows 11 and has drawn significant user interest.

A Strategic Talent and Technology Grab

The deal exemplifies Meta's aggressive strategy of acquiring specialized AI startups to rapidly onboard top talent and advanced technology. This follows recent multi-billion dollar investments in other AI firms like Scale AI and the acquisition of wearables startup Limitless. According to the companies, Manus will continue operating its subscription service, and its employees will join Meta's teams, contributing to the development of its open-source Llama models and broader AI ecosystem.

"Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation," said Manus CEO Xiao Hong. The startup, backed by investors like Benchmark, Tencent, and HongShan Capital, had been seeking a new funding round at a $2 billion valuation when approached by Meta, highlighting the intense high-stakes competition for leading AI assets.

Integrating into a Broader AI Ecosystem

For Meta, the acquisition represents a significant strategic pivot to embed sophisticated AI agents directly into its vast product suite. Manus's claimed processing of over 147 trillion tokens of data and support for 80 million virtual computers provides a ready-made, scalable infrastructure for automation. This move also intensifies the competitive landscape among tech giants, as Meta directly acquires technology that has been positioned as a rival to offerings from OpenAI and others.

The integration of Manus is poised to be a key strategic maneuver in Meta's quest to lead the next wave of AI-driven productivity tools and consumer applications, signaling a deepening commitment to moving beyond social media and into the foundational layer of the AI-powered economy.