Meta said on Monday that it would acquire Manus, a Chinese-founded artificial intelligence startup, as it accelerates efforts to integrate advanced AI across its platforms.
The financial terms were not disclosed, though a source with direct knowledge said the deal values the Singapore-based firm at between $2 billion and $3 billion.
Manus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The acquisition comes as major technology companies intensify competition around autonomous and general-purpose AI systems.
Manus was founded in China in 2022 and later moved its headquarters to Singapore, joining other Chinese companies seeking to limit exposure to U.S.-China tensions.
The company gained widespread attention after releasing what it described as the world’s first general AI agent capable of making decisions and executing tasks with minimal prompting.
Its product drew comparisons to emerging Chinese AI systems and was praised by Chinese state television.
Manus claims its AI agent outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch and has partnered strategically with Alibaba to collaborate on AI models.
Meta said it will operate and sell the Manus service and integrate it into consumer and business offerings, including Meta AI.
An analyst at Rosenblatt Securities said the technology fits naturally with Meta’s growing WhatsApp small business footprint and its broader vision for personal AI.
The deal highlights Meta’s expanding investment in artificial intelligence through acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
Earlier this year, the company invested in Scale AI in a transaction valuing the data-labeling firm at $29 billion.
Manus is backed by Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology and raised $75 million this year at a valuation of about $500 million, according to a source.
Benchmark led that funding round, with other investors including HSG, ZhenFund, and Tencent Holdings.
Manus has said its products are not available in China and recently reported that its annual recurring revenue surpassed $100 million.
Meta said the acquisition would bring one of the leading autonomous general-purpose agents to its global user base.