Meta’s $2 Billion Manus Deal Meets Regulatory Scrutiny in China

Chinese regulators are investigating Meta’s $2 billion purchase of artificial intelligence startup Manus, CNBC reported Thursday (Jan. 8).

The probe will focus on whether the deal complies with China’s export control laws, the report said.

Meta acquired Singapore-based Manus last month as part of a larger effort to boost its AI offerings. No terms were released, but a report by The Wall Street Journal cited an unnamed source who listed the $2 billion price tag.

“Manus is already serving the daily needs of millions of users and businesses worldwide,” Meta said in a Dec. 29 announcement. “It launched its first general AI agent earlier this year and has already served more than 147 trillion tokens and created more than 80 million virtual computers. We plan to scale this service to many more businesses.”

The deal marked one of the most high-profile examples of an American tech giant buying an AI startup with roots in Asia’s AI and startup spaces.

Manus attracted the support of the Chinese government in March after it debuted an AI agent that could create detailed research reports and build custom websites, using AI models from companies like Anthropic and China’s Alibaba, PYMNTS reported Dec. 30.

China’s Ministry of Commerce is due to conduct an assessment and investigation into how the acquisition meets with laws and regulations regarding export controls, the import and export of technology, and overseas investment, the CNBC report said.

“The Chinese government consistently supports enterprises in conducting mutually beneficial transnational operations and international technological cooperation in accordance with laws and regulations,” Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong said at a press briefing, per the CNBC report.

Buying Manus gives Meta a “scaled, revenue-generating AI product with direct consumer payments,” PYMNTS wrote in a separate Dec. 30 report. While the Facebook owner has invested in AI infrastructure and promoted open-source models via its Llama family of models, monetization has remained indirect, tied largely to advertising and engagement across its social media platforms.

“By acquiring Manus, Meta gains technology and distribution, along with immediate exposure to subscription revenue and insight into consumer willingness to pay for AI-powered assistance,” the report said. “The transaction also shortens the timeline for rolling out premium AI offerings without having to build a paid user base from scratch.”

For all PYMNTS AI coverage, subscribe to the daily AI Newsletter.