Meta disentangles from Chinese AI startup Manus as it prepares to operate independently
Meta has completed its separation from the Chinese AI firm Manus, which announced it will resume operations as a standalone company.
Manus AI, a Chinese-origin general-agent platform that launched in March 2025, attracted users with capabilities such as automatically reviewing job applications stored in ZIP files. The firm relocated its official base to Singapore to access investment and reported a $100 million run rate. Meta announced a purchase of Manus in December 2025, but Chinese authorities opened an investigation and later prohibited foreign investment in the company.
Meta chose not to contest the ruling and has been separating from Manus, a process now essentially finished. Manus posted a note to its community stating it will soon operate again as an independent entity, but legal obligations require it to erase user data created after December 29 2025 on August 24, with a download window before then. No details were given on whether Meta will replace the technology or what it gained from the brief partnership.
Why it matters
The split highlights China's tightening control over tech firms and the challenges of cross-border AI acquisitions.
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