Tech giant and Facebook parent company Meta, has announced the acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based developer of general-purpose AI agents as it deepens its aggressive push into Artificial Intelligence.
Launched in 2025, Manus is a general AI agent that bridges the gap between conception and execution, delivering results. Since the launch, Manus has focused on building a general-purpose AI agent designed to help users tackle research, automation, and complex tasks.
Through continuous product iteration, the company has been working hard to make these capabilities more reliable and useful across a growing range of real-world use cases. In just a few months, the AI agent has processed more than 147 trillion tokens and powered the creation of over 80 million virtual computers.
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Announcing the acquisition by Meta, Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus said,
“Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made. “We’re excited about what the future holds with Meta and Manus working together and we will continue to iterate on the product and serve users who have defined Manus from the beginning.”
Also commenting, Meta wrote,
“We are excited to welcome the Manus team and help improve the lives of billions of people and millions of businesses with their technology”.
Manus has developed one of the leading autonomous, general-purpose AI agents capable of independently handling complex tasks such as market research, coding, and data analysis. Meta stated that it plans to continue operating and commercializing the Manus service while integrating its capabilities into Meta’s products.
Following the acquisition, Manus’s exceptional talent will join Meta’s team to deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including in Meta AI.
Meta’s aggressive push in AI comes as the company faces intense competition from industry heavyweights like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft, and has had to poach top talent to catch up in the AI race. The tech giant’s AI ambition is centered on developing a “personal superintelligence” that integrates seamlessly into daily life through its platforms and devices.
One of the most significant developments in 2025 was Meta’s scale of investment. The company committed tens of billions of dollars to AI-related spending, largely focused on data centers, specialized chips, and computing infrastructure required to train and deploy large language models at a global scale
CEO Mark Zuckerberg envisions AI that surpasses human intelligence across virtually all domains, acting as a companion, assistant (e.g., booking reservations, planning travel), and creative partner rather than just a productivity tool.
A major highlight this year, was the rapid expansion of Meta AI, the company’s consumer-facing assistant. Meta AI was deeply integrated into Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, making it accessible to users in everyday conversations, searches, and content discovery. The recent acquisition of AI startup Manus underscores this focus, aiming to embed these agents into WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook to enhance user and business experiences.
Through massive infrastructure investment, rapid deployment of Meta AI, advancements in the Llama model ecosystem, and strategic acquisitions like Meta has demonstrated its determination to compete at the highest level of the global AI race.