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Manus Splits from Meta, Resumes Independent Operations

After nearly eight months of twists and turns, Manus, the Singapore-based AI agent lab, has officially cut ties with Meta and resumed independent operations. The company made the announcement today, marking the end of a turbulent chapter that saw its acquisition by Meta blocked by Chinese regulators.

Manus, often hailed as "the world's first general intelligent agent," will now operate as an independent entity. The founding team remains at the helm, and the company's commitment to pushing the boundaries of general AI agent technology is unwavering. In its official statement, Manus emphasized its dedication to product innovation, aiming to deliver more powerful AI agents that help users tackle complex tasks efficiently and achieve greater accomplishments in their daily work and life.

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The road to independence was anything but smooth. In December 2025, Meta completed its $2 billion acquisition of Manus, with plans to integrate the technology into products like Meta AI. However, in April 2026, China's National Development and Reform Commission prohibited the transaction, citing foreign investment security review mechanisms. This forced both companies to initiate a complex separation process, including the backup and migration of data generated during the acquisition period. By mid-August, Manus had completed critical data compliance processing and gradually restored service stability.

Now that Manus is on its own, the company has a clear vision for the future. It plans to integrate deeper into users' daily workflows, interact more directly with the real world, and execute tasks more proactively on behalf of users. The company is committed to transforming cutting-edge capabilities into practical products, enhancing the autonomous planning, dynamic execution, and result delivery of AI agents.

During the transition, Manus didn't rest on its laurels. The platform continuously iterated its features, introducing cloud computing, conversation branching, and intelligent planning modes. Despite the regulatory upheaval, the company maintained strong commercial growth, with its annual recurring revenue (ARR) seeing significant gains even during the review period. Team stability remained high, a testament to the resilience of the founding team and their vision.

Looking ahead, the market is optimistic about Manus's prospects. With independent operations fully underway, the company is expected to accelerate product innovation and technological breakthroughs, particularly in maintaining its leading position in the general AI agent space. The industry will be watching closely to see how Manus leverages its independence to carve out a new path.

Manus also took a moment to thank its users, especially those who completed data backup and recovery during the transition. The company expressed sincere gratitude for their patience and trust, and hinted at more innovations to come.

As Manus embarks on this new chapter, the AI agent sector is abuzz with anticipation. Will Manus live up to its early promise and redefine what general AI agents can do? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the journey has just begun.

Key Points

  • Manus officially resumes independent operations after an eight-month acquisition and divestiture saga with Meta.
  • The acquisition was blocked by Chinese regulators in April 2026, leading to a complex separation process.
  • Manus plans to focus on deeper integration into daily workflows, more direct real-world interaction, and proactive task execution.
  • Despite the transition, Manus maintained strong commercial growth and team stability.
  • The company thanks users for their patience and hints at more innovations on the horizon.