Meta (NASDAQ:META) has acquired artificial intelligence firm Manus. The Singapore-based firm is developing autonomous AI agents, and the deal has been valued at between $2 to $3 billion.
Manus’s tech is said to be able to execute complex tasks such as booking flights and conducting research, while being integrated into the Meta ecosystem, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc.
The deal is said to be emblematic of the transition from simple chats, discussions, and basic tasks to enabling more complex actions, perhaps autonomously.
The company is young, having launched this year, but reports indicate that it is already generating $100 million in recurring revenue.
Queena Qiu, co-founder and CEO of Polyverse, creator of apps like AI Mirror and Spellai, described the acquisition as a pinnacle event for the AI ecosystem.
“For consumer AI companies, Meta’s acquisition of Manus strongly validates that AI agents, when built and productized at the application level, not just as larger language models, represent the next major platform shift,” said Qui. “The real value lies in systems that can autonomously plan and execute complex tasks at scale. For GenAI startups, the signal is clear: durable differentiation and meaningful exits will come from deep agent infrastructure, delivered through real-world, user-facing applications.”
This is all part of Meta’s ambitious goal to lead the world in AI development and integration into existing and future services. The Manus 1.5 model reportedly outperformed OpenAI’s “Deep Research” as the AI race continues at pace.