In a major move signaling the next phase of the artificial intelligence race, Meta has announced the acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based AI startup, in a deal reportedly valued at over $2 billion. This strategic purchase underscores Meta’s commitment to moving beyond simple chatbots toward “agentic AI”, systems capable of autonomously executing complex workflows for both businesses and consumers.
From Chatbots to action-oriented Agents
While large language models (LLMs) have excelled at generating text and answering queries, the industry is increasingly pivoting toward AI agents that can do things. Manus has established itself as a leader in this space with a general-purpose AI agent designed to function as an “execution layer.”
Unlike traditional conversational AI, the Manus agent is built to independently plan and complete multi-step tasks such as market research, data analysis, and coding. Since its public debut in March 2025, the startup has seen explosive growth, reportedly reaching $100 million in annual recurring revenue in just eight months.
Strategic integration for Businesses
For DataNorth’s network of business leaders and data professionals, this acquisition highlights a critical trend: The commoditization of intelligence is giving way to the automation of labor.
According to Meta, Manus will help “unlock opportunities for businesses” by integrating its autonomous capabilities directly into Meta’s ecosystem. This could mean profound upgrades for tools like WhatsApp for Business and Meta’s advertising platforms, allowing companies to deploy AI agents that can handle customer service resolution, lead generation, and back-office automation with minimal human oversight.
A hybrid future
Despite the acquisition, Manus will not disappear into the corporate structure immediately. Meta has confirmed that Manus will continue to operate its existing subscription service as a standalone product while its underlying technology is gradually weaved into Meta AI and other products.
“Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works,” said Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus.
Why does it matter that Meta buys Manus?
This deal is more than just a talent acqui-hire; it is a validation of the “Agentic Economy.” As companies like Meta invest billions to turn AI from a passive assistant into an active employee, businesses must prepare their data infrastructure to support these autonomous systems. The future isn’t just about asking an AI what to do, it’s about telling it to go do it.
