Facebook owner Meta has agreed to acquire Manus, an advanced artificial intelligence agent developed by startup Butterfly Effect, the companies confirmed on Monday.
While the firms did not disclose financial terms, analysts cautioned that the transaction may attract regulatory scrutiny. This comes amid intensifying technological rivalry between the United States and China.
Manus was created by Butterfly Effect, a company founded in China that now operates from Singapore. Unlike traditional AI chatbots, AI agents such as Manus can autonomously perform complex tasks for users. This positions them as a major next step in AI development.
According to its creators, Manus can independently analyse and summarise large volumes of information, including resumes. Furthermore, it can build functional tools such as stock analysis websites. These capabilities extend beyond conversational responses to include execution and delivery.
Manus is entering the next chapter: we’re joining forces with Meta to take general agents to the next level.
Full story on our blog: https://t.co/huPrnbITCi
— Manus (@ManusAI) December 29, 2025Meta said the acquisition would allow it to integrate a leading AI agent across its ecosystem. The company stated that the deal would “bring a powerful AI agent to billions of people. It would unlock new opportunities for businesses across our products.”
Manus chief executive Xiao Hong described the partnership as a turning point for the technology. He said the next phase of artificial intelligence involves systems that can act, create, and deliver results. This is opposed to merely responding to prompts.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has made artificial intelligence a central pillar of the company’s future strategy. Meta continues to invest heavily in AI through acquisitions and aggressive hiring of engineers. It is also expanding global data centre infrastructure.
According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the acquisition is likely aimed at strengthening Meta’s AI agent task capabilities. It could be valued at more than $2 billion. Analysts added that the deal’s cross-border origins may draw regulatory scrutiny. This is given Manus’s Chinese roots despite its Singapore base.
As governments increase oversight of advanced AI systems, Meta’s latest move highlights both the commercial promise and geopolitical sensitivity. This surrounds the next generation of artificial intelligence.
