China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI firm Manus
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram had indicated in late December 2025 that it had reached an agreement to acquire Manus, one of the most promising representatives of autonomous A.I. agents, the industry's new revolution.
Meta Platforms
China on Monday announced it would block American tech giant Meta from acquiring Manus, an artificial intelligence (A.I.) agent designed by a Chinese startup currently based in Singapore.
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram had indicated in late December 2025 that it had reached an agreement to acquire Manus, one of the most promising representatives of autonomous A.I. agents, the new revolution in the sector.
The National Development and Reform Commission, China's powerful economic planning agency, said in a statement that it had "issued an investment prohibition decision regarding the acquisition of the Manus project by foreign investors."
The agency requires the parties involved to cancel the acquisition, the statement said.
Analysts had already warned that the transaction risked being blocked by regulators.
In March, The Financial Times stated that Beijing had banned the company's two co-founders from leaving China.
The rivalry between China and the U.S. in A.I. reflects a strategic struggle for control of this technology, considered crucial to the economy of the future.
Created by small Chinese company Butterfly Effect
Accessible by invitation for businesses, it quickly sparked strong enthusiasm.
Manus is an A.I. agent and, as such, is a different product from conversational assistants such as China's DeepSeek or U.S.-based OpenAI (ChatGPT).
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