AI firm Manus goes solo as China halts Meta agreement

Manus, an AI startup, announced on Tuesday that it would soon operate independently again, following China's block of the acquisition by Meta, the company behind Facebook. In December, Meta had agreed to acquire Manus, an AI agent, reportedly for about $2 billion. However, in April, China's top economic planning body prohibited the deal, requiring the parties to withdraw.

Manus stated on Tuesday that it would "soon return to operating as an independent company," adding that compliance with regulatory requirements in certain parts of the world necessitated this step. The company further mentioned that data generated by some users post-Meta's acquisition on December 29 needed to be deleted to adhere to regulatory requirements in specific jurisdictions.

Analysts had cautioned that the deal might face regulatory hurdles given the intense technological rivalry between the US and China. Before China's National Development and Reform Commission announced the ban, it was reported that two Manus co-founders were restricted from leaving the country. Hong Kong's main tech stock index, the Hang Seng Tech Index, is planning to include 20 additional companies, as well as themes related to artificial intelligence and robotics, to reflect the evolving industry landscape.

The index, which tracks the 30 largest tech companies listed in Hong Kong, plans to grow to 50 constituents, according to a consultation document released by the firm. The index aims to update its six tech themes to include artificial intelligence and robotics, alongside digital platforms, advanced hardware, cloud, and frontier technology.

The company stated that these changes are necessary as Hong Kong's technology sector broadens and to ensure the index accurately represents the evolving tech landscape.