Manus, the AI agent startup with Chinese roots, is reverting to independent operation after its acquisition by Meta Platforms fell apart. Meta had agreed last December to buy Manus for more than $2 billion, planning to fold its autonomous “general-purpose” agent technology into products like Meta AI and WhatsApp. But in April, Chinese regulators ordered the deal reversed as Beijing tightened scrutiny of U.S. investment in Chinese firms developing frontier technology.
Announcing the transition, Manus said its founding team — Xiao Hong, Zhang Tao, and Ji Yichao — will continue leading the company, “with a relentless commitment to product innovation and advancing general AI agents for our users worldwide.” As an independent lab, Manus said users can expect it to become more embedded in daily workflows, interact more directly with the world, and act more proactively on users’ behalf. The company also thanked those who backed up their data during the transition.
Today, Manus resumes independent operations, entering a new chapter driven by the same spirit of innovation.
Our founding team @Red_Xiao_ @hidecloud @peakji will continue to lead the company, with a relentless commitment to product innovation and advancing general AI agents for…
— Manus (@ManusAI) September 1, 2026
Tencent has reportedly been in talks to become Manus’ largest shareholder.
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