中国AI Agent新贵Manus大规模裁员，将总部迁至新加坡并百万年薪招聘｜独家

Core Viewpoint - Manus, a Chinese AI Agent company, has relocated its headquarters to Singapore and is undergoing layoffs in its domestic operations due to funding and technological constraints related to US-China AI competition [2][3][10]. Group 1: Company Operations - Manus has approximately 120 employees in China, with over 40 core technical staff moving to Singapore, while the remaining employees will face layoffs with compensation packages [2]. - The company has initiated local recruitment in Singapore for positions such as AI engineers and data scientists, offering salaries ranging from $8,000 to $16,000 per month [2]. - Manus has established a new entity in Singapore, registered as "Butterfly Effect," and is planning to open an office in Tokyo to expand into markets outside the US [3][9]. Group 2: Funding and Financials - Manus has completed a new funding round led by Benchmark, raising $75 million (approximately 540 million yuan) and achieving a valuation of $500 million (approximately 3.6 billion yuan) [3]. - The company plans to use the funds from its recent B round financing to explore new markets, including the US, Japan, and the Middle East [3]. Group 3: Product and Technology - Manus's core product, Monica.im, is designed to perform complex tasks beyond traditional AI assistants, achieving state-of-the-art results in GAIA benchmark tests [4]. - The company has faced delays in technology development due to restrictions on accessing NVIDIA AI chips, impacting its product iteration [3][10]. - Manus's AI Agent product is positioned as a tool that can replace existing tools rather than just a conversational AI, aiming to provide more comprehensive task solutions [11]. Group 4: Market Context - The shift of Manus to Singapore reflects a broader trend among AI companies moving operations overseas due to US-China investment restrictions and technological limitations [9][10]. - The Singaporean AI sector is experiencing significant growth, with a reported 45% increase in financing in 2024, indicating a favorable environment for AI startups [10].