Meta Platforms acquired Singapore-based AI startup Manus on Monday, accelerating its push into autonomous artificial intelligence agents. The social media giant will integrate Manus's general-purpose AI technology across its consumer and business products, including Meta AI.
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Manus, which launched its AI agent in March 2025, reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue within eight months, according to company claims. The startup's total revenue run rate now exceeds $125 million when including usage-based revenue.
Manus processes more than 147 trillion tokens and has created over 80 million virtual computers since its launch. The AI agent autonomously performs tasks including market research, programming, and data analysis without requiring users to specify every step. Earlier this year, Manus claimed its performance surpassed OpenAI's DeepResearch agent.
The Singapore-based startup gained viral attention in March for its ability to handle complex tasks using a web browser without human supervision. Users demonstrated the agent completing financial transactions, compiling research reports, and even finding apartments with crime rate evaluations. Manus targets small and medium-sized businesses with subscription-based autonomous AI services.
Meta will continue operating and selling the Manus service as a separate offering while integrating the technology into its ecosystem. The acquisition provides Manus access to Meta's user base of billions across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Manus CEO Xiao Hong stated the move allows the startup to build on a stronger foundation without changing how its product works.
This acquisition follows Meta's $14 billion investment for a 49% stake in Scale AI earlier this year, which brought Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang to lead Meta's new AI research division. Meta has reportedly fallen behind competitors like OpenAI and Google in large language model development, with its Llama series struggling to match rival offerings.
Manus raised $75 million in funding in April led by venture firm Benchmark. The startup employs 105 people across Singapore, Tokyo, and San Francisco, with a Paris office opening soon. Monthly growth has remained above 20 percent since the release of version 1.5, serving millions of users and businesses globally.
The deal positions Meta to compete in the emerging market for agentic AI systems that plan and execute multi-step workflows. While tech companies invest billions in large language models, Meta gains a functioning business model with proven market traction through Manus. The startup's technology could eventually reach billions of users through Meta's platforms.
Industry analysts view the acquisition as Meta's attempt to monetize its massive AI infrastructure investments. With a market capitalization exceeding $1 trillion, Meta can absorb such strategic acquisitions while maintaining financial stability. The company faces increasing competition from Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI in developing advanced AI agents.
Manus does not develop its own AI models but builds on large language models from Anthropic, Alibaba's Qwen, and OpenAI. Meta may integrate its upcoming LLM into the Manus platform. The startup has set technical standards with concepts like Context Engineering for AI agents and Wide Research functionality.
Regulatory scrutiny may intensify as Meta incorporates Manus's autonomous capabilities, particularly around data privacy and AI ethics. The European Union's AI Act and similar U.S. frameworks could influence deployment of agents handling personal or financial data. Meta has faced previous criticism over data handling practices.
The acquisition represents a geographic shift in AI innovation, bringing Singapore-based technology into Meta's predominantly U.S.-centric operations. This could help Meta navigate global regulations and tap into emerging markets where AI adoption is accelerating. Manus reportedly offers capabilities at lower costs than U.S. competitors.
Meta's stock has shown resilience despite significant AI spending, with advertising revenue driving strong earnings. The Manus deal is unlikely to strain Meta's balance sheet given the company's financial scale. Analysts see the acquisition as positioning Meta for long-term growth in AI-driven services.
Manus will maintain its operational independence initially, continuing to sell subscriptions through its own app and website from Singapore. Long-term integration plans include expanding the service to Meta's global user base and embedding the technology into Meta AI and other proprietary products. The startup's team will help spread general-purpose agents across Meta's portfolio.
The acquisition underscores CEO Mark Zuckerberg's prioritization of AI over previous metaverse ambitions. Meta has formed a dedicated AI research division called Meta Superintelligence Labs focused on building advanced models and agents. The company seeks to transform its AI investments into profitable products through acquisitions like Manus.
Manus demonstrated its capabilities earlier this year by completing dozens of tasks for users on X (formerly Twitter) for free, generating significant social media buzz. The platform now enables development of mobile applications from natural language instructions, expanding its utility beyond basic automation tasks.
As autonomous AI agents evolve from assistants to executors, Meta's acquisition of Manus positions the company at the forefront of this transition. The deal could redefine digital interactions across Meta's platforms, blending social connectivity with intelligent automation in ways that influence the entire industry.
