Meta Platforms(US:META) Sou Hu Cai Jing·2026-01-15 02:47Core Insights - Meta announced the acquisition of the core development team of AI company Manus for several billion dollars, marking it as the third-largest acquisition in Meta's history, following WhatsApp and Scale AI [1] - The acquisition was completed efficiently in a short timeframe, with Manus founder Xiao Hong joining Meta as Vice President, while the team will operate independently and integrate with Meta's Llama model technology [1][3] - Meta's CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed long-term interest in Manus's product progress and acknowledged its technical achievements in AI task execution [1] Company Development - Manus launched its "general AI agent" product in March 2025, gaining market attention for its ability to handle complex tasks, leading to a surge in user engagement [3] - Despite initial success, Manus faced discussions regarding its technical path and pricing strategy, which caused fluctuations in user scale after entering public service in May 2025 [3] - By the end of 2025, Manus achieved an annual recurring revenue of over $100 million within eight months of launch, with a market valuation of $2 billion prior to the acquisition [3] Industry Trends - The acquisition reflects the intensifying global competition for AI talent, with Manus's core team recognized for their technical innovation and ability to attract international tech companies [4] - The narrowing technological gap in AI model development among countries highlights the importance of talent resources as a key competitive advantage [4] - The acquisition of Manus serves as a case study for global operations of tech teams and raises questions about creating attractive environments for innovative talent in frontier technologies [4][5] - As AI competition enters a new phase, similar technology integrations and talent movements are expected to continue, significantly impacting the global tech industry landscape [5]