Imagine collaborating on a project and discovering that your partner is not a human, but an artificial intelligence agent. This is not a distant prospect. It is a feature of Manus AI, an AI agent capable of independently planning and executing tasks without direct or continuous human supervision. Unlike any traditional generative AI tools that are primarily designed for conversational interactions, Manus opens new doors for the field of artificial intelligence.
The company was founded by Xiao Hong, a Chinese tech entrepreneur, and his collaborators Ji Yichao and Zhang Tao. Its name is inspired by the famous motto Mens et Manus or “Mind and Hand.” The founders believe that knowledge should be used to make a meaningful impact on the world. In March 2025, Manus was launched by Chinese AI product studio Butterfly Effect and is currently based in Singapore. Eight months after launching, the company announced that it had processed more than 147 trillion tokens, which are units of data used by AI models, and had powered the creation of over 80 million virtual machines, or digital versions of physical computers. As of December 2025, Manus had generated more than 100 million dollars in revenue.
On December 29, 2025, Manus announced its decision to join Meta, a large-scale technology company formerly known as Facebook, only a few months after its initial launch. Following its acquisition, Manus began implementing and integrating its services into Meta platforms. Xiao Hong, the CEO of Manus, said, “Joining Meta allows us to build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made.” The company believes that the news serves as recognition of the potential of general AI agents and of its goal of applying advanced AI tools to real-world settings. Their top priority is to ensure that this change will not have any unintended consequences on user experience. The company also decided that subscription services will continue to be implemented through their current website, and that Singapore will remain its home base.
By acquiring Manus, Meta’s decision reflects not only its pivot to profitable AI agents but also the industry’s shift in focus from foundational generative AI models to autonomous general agents. If the partnership succeeds, we may enter the age of AI employees. The era of non-human workers may no longer lie on the distant horizon.