Manus resumes solo operations after collapse of US$2 billion Meta deal

Chinese-founded AI startup Manus announced on Tuesday its return to independent operations, over four months after Beijing blocked its US$2 billion acquisition by Meta Platforms. The company's founding team will continue leading Manus as an "independent agent lab," according to a blog post on its website. The announcement followed a three-week period when Manus notified users about deleting some data generated on or after December 29, the date of the acquisition by Meta.

Users could restore their data via Manus's "restoration portal." Manus emphasized the transition required additional time and effort from users, expressing gratitude for their patience and trust. The resumption marks the start of Manus's "next chapter" after the Meta deal's collapse, potentially setting a precedent for global deal-making involving Chinese-founded tech startups.

Launched in March 2025, Manus creates autonomous AI agents for complex tasks like web research and report writing. Founded in mainland China in 2022, Butterfly Effect (Manus's parent company) rebranded as a Singapore-based entity last year, shedding China-based staff and digital footprint to avoid US technology export and investment controls.

This relocation enabled the firm to attract US capital and access frontier AI models. The acquisition by Meta in December sparked concerns in Beijing, leading to a months-long investigation. In April, China's National Development and Reform Commission ordered the parties to cancel the deal. Last month, Manus announced data deletion as part of its return to independent operations, though specifics on unwinding the transaction were not provided.

Manus vowed to continue advancing its technology, aiming to push the boundaries of general AI agents and create products that help users tackle complex tasks and improve daily life and work.