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Meta Platforms announced its intention to acquire Manus, a prominent developer of general-purpose artificial intelligence agents based in China, in a deal reportedly valued at several billion dollars. This acquisition is expected to become the company’s third-largest purchase to date.
Manus aims to deliver a leading AI agent to billions of users and create new business opportunities across Meta’s portfolio. The company stated that they will continue operating and marketing the Manus service, integrating it into their existing products.
Originally founded in China and later relocating to Singapore under the name Butterfly Effect, Manus will maintain its independence following the acquisition. The company emphasized that prioritizing stability for its customers remains essential, and it will keep offering its subscription services through its app and website.
Although the exact financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, industry reports suggest it ranks behind only the acquisitions of WhatsApp and Scale AI in terms of size for the company.
Founded in 2022, Butterfly Effect launched its flagship general-purpose AI agent, Manus, in March of this year. The company also announced that its annual recurring revenue surpassed $100 million earlier this month.
Since its launch, Manus has focused on developing an AI agent designed to assist users with research, automation, and complex tasks. The company’s website states that the agent has processed over 147 trillion tokens and has supported the creation of more than 80 million virtual computers.
Xiao Hong, the CEO of Manus and founder of Butterfly Effect, will join Meta as vice president and will continue to oversee product development. He expressed enthusiasm about the future collaboration, saying, “Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing Manus’s core operations or decision-making processes.” He added, “We are excited about what’s ahead with Meta, and we will keep refining the product to serve the users who have shaped Manus from the beginning.”
The Manus team will help expand the deployment of general-purpose AI agents across Meta’s consumer and business platforms, including Meta AI, with plans to scale these services globally.
Prior to the acquisition, Manus was reportedly in negotiations for a new funding round at a valuation of approximately $2 billion. The company had completed four previous fundraisers, attracting investments from notable firms such as Sequoia China, Tencent Holdings, and other venture capital investors from China and the US.
Meta’s CEO has previously highlighted the transformative potential of superintelligence, stating that it could usher in a new era of personal empowerment where individuals have greater capacity to influence the world in the ways they choose.
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