Meta Platforms has acquired Manus, one of the most closely watched artificial intelligence startups of 2025, marking a major step forward in the company’s long-term AI strategy. The acquisition, announced in late December, reflects Meta’s growing focus on autonomous AI agents’ systems designed to plan, reason, and execute complex tasks with minimal human involvement.
The deal positions Meta more aggressively in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, where competition has shifted beyond large language models toward practical, action-oriented AI systems. While Meta did not disclose financial terms, industry estimates suggest the acquisition could exceed $2 billion, making it one of the company’s most significant purchases to date.
What Makes Manus Different
Manus gained widespread attention earlier this year for its advanced general-purpose AI agent, a system capable of independently completing multi-step workflows. Unlike traditional chatbots that primarily respond to prompts, Manus’s AI can perform end-to-end tasks such as market research, data analysis, software development, document preparation, and operational automation.
This “agentic AI” approach represents a shift in how artificial intelligence is applied in real-world environments. Instead of assisting users step by step, Manus’s technology is designed to function more like a digital employee interpreting goals, breaking them into actions, and executing them autonomously.
The platform’s capabilities quickly attracted enterprises, developers, and productivity-focused users, helping Manus scale rapidly. Prior to the acquisition, the company reportedly surpassed $100 million in annual recurring revenue, an uncommon milestone for an AI startup operating primarily on subscription-based services.
Rapid Growth and Market Attention
Founded by a team of experienced AI entrepreneurs, Manus initially operated across Asia before establishing its headquarters in Singapore. The startup gained global recognition after a public demo showcased its ability to autonomously complete complex professional tasks with minimal supervision.
Investor interest followed quickly. Earlier in 2025, Manus closed a major funding round led by top-tier venture capital firms, significantly increasing its valuation and signaling confidence in the commercial viability of AI agents. The acquisition by Meta ultimately validated those expectations.
How Meta Plans to Use Manus
Meta plans to integrate Manus’s technology across its expanding AI ecosystem, including Meta AI and its core platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. The acquisition aligns with Meta’s broader vision of embedding AI deeply into everyday digital experiences moving from passive assistants to proactive systems that can take meaningful action on behalf of users.
According to company statements, Manus will continue operating as a standalone product for existing customers while benefiting from Meta’s infrastructure, computing resources, and global distribution. The Manus team is expected to play a key role in advancing Meta’s internal AI agent research and development efforts.
To address regulatory and geopolitical considerations, Meta confirmed that the acquisition restructures Manus’s ownership and operations, eliminating prior regional constraints and aligning the company fully with Meta’s global compliance framework.
Why This Acquisition Matters
Meta’s purchase of Manus highlights a broader industry trend: the race to build autonomous, task-driven AI systems. While large language models remain foundational, technology leaders are increasingly focused on what AI can do, not just what it can say.
Autonomous AI agents are widely seen as the next major evolution in artificial intelligence, with applications across business operations, software development, research, customer support, and personal productivity. By acquiring Manus, Meta accelerates its ability to compete in this emerging category against other major players investing heavily in agent-based AI.
The move also reinforces Meta’s long-term commitment to artificial intelligence as a core business pillar, alongside social platforms, messaging, and immersive technologies.
Looking Ahead
With Manus now part of Meta, the company gains not only advanced technology but also a proven product with real-world adoption. As AI agents become more capable and more integrated into daily workflows, Meta is positioning itself to play a central role in shaping how autonomous AI is deployed at scale.
For businesses, developers, and consumers alike, the acquisition signals that AI is entering a new phase one where intelligent systems are expected to operate independently, responsibly, and efficiently across a wide range of tasks.
Meta’s bet on Manus suggests that the future of AI will be defined not just by smarter models, but by AI systems that can act.
