Meta Acquires Chinese AI

Meta is set to acquire Manus, a Singapore-based AI start-up with Chinese origins, to bolster its AI capabilities. Manus, originally founded in China before relocating to Singapore, specialises in AI agents for business use and boasts an annual revenue run rate of $125 million. Meta plans to integrate Manus's AI agent, which can independently execute tasks like research and automation, into its own consumer and business products, including Meta AI.

This acquisition is part of Meta's broader strategy to aggressively invest in AI and compete with industry rivals. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has committed billions to AI research, data centre construction, and model development, with a pledge to invest $600 billion in US infrastructure projects over the next three years. Meta's increased focus on AI is also demonstrated by its plans to invest $65 billion in AI infrastructure during 2025, including a new data centre.

Meta's investment in AI reflects the growing demand for specialised hardware and power to train and run AI systems. The company has been restructuring its data centre designs to accommodate AI systems and has invested in global data centre infrastructure. This acquisition of Manus is a strategic move to enhance Meta's AI offerings and gain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.