{{Short description|Autonomous artificial intelligence agent}} {{Infobox software | title = Manus | logo = Manus logo.svg | logo_upright = 1.2 | developer = Butterfly Effect Pte. Ltd.<br />Xiao Hong | released = {{start date and age|2025|3|6}} | latest preview date = {{start date and age|2024|4|9}} | latest release version = Manus 1.6 | latest release date = {{Start date and age|2025|12|15}} | genre = AI agent | license = Proprietary | website = {{URL|https://manus.im/}} }}
'''Manus''' (meaning ''hand'' in Latin) is an autonomous artificial intelligence agent developed by Butterfly Effect, a company founded in China and based in Singapore.
== History ==
=== Background and founding === Xiao founded Butterfly Effect in 2022, two months before the public launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feng |first=Coco |date=2025-03-11 |title=Chinese AI agent Manus transcends chatbots, start-up’s founder says |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3301864/chinese-ai-agent-manus-transcends-chatbots-founder-start-butterfly-effect-says |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> The company maintained offices in Beijing and Wuhan and targeted markets outside China, primarily North America, Japan, and South Korea.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Raffaele |date=2025-12-31 |title=How Meta’s Newest Acquisition Target Got Around Worries Over Its Ties to China |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/how-metas-newest-acquisition-target-got-around-worries-over-its-ties-to-china-de2d24b6 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US |last2=Clark|first2=Kate|last3=Ramkumar|first3=Amrith}}</ref>
In 2023, Butterfly Effect released Monica, a ChatGPT-powered browser extension that aggregated multiple commercial large language models behind a single interface for translation, summarization, and writing assistance.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bao |first=Linghao |date=January 12, 2026 |title=Will Beijing meddle in the Meta-Manus deal? |url=https://triviumchina.com/research/will-beijing-meddle-in-the-meta-manus-deal/ |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=Trivium China |language=en}}</ref>
In 2024, ByteDance approached Butterfly Effect with an acquisition offer of approximately US$30 million, according to reporting by 36Kr. Xiao declined the offer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=December 30, 2025 |title=Mark Zuckerberg Spent Billions in Anger: Why Didn't a Chinese Company Buy Manus? |url=http://eu.36kr.com/en/p/3617713616405512 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=eu.36kr.com}}</ref>
Ji Yichao, born in 1992 and raised in Colorado and Beijing, joined Butterfly Effect as a co-founder of the Manus product and serves as the company's chief scientist. Known by the nickname "Peak," Ji studied computer science in Beijing, and while in high school created Mammoth Browser, a web browser application for Apple's iPhone.<ref name=":0" /> In 2012, he founded Peak Labs with backing from ZhenFund and HSG (then known as Sequoia China<ref name=":0" />) and was named to Forbes China's 30 Under 30 ranking in 2012 and 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flannery |first=Russell |date=March 19, 2013 |title=Forbes China 30 Under 30 List: Ji Yichao's Mammoth Ambitions |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/russellflannery/2013/03/19/forbes-china-30-under-30-list-ji-yichaos-mammoth-ambitions/ |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
Zhang Tao joined the founding team as product director. In October 2024, Butterfly Effect began developing Manus, drawing inspiration from the San Francisco-based AI coding tool Cursor.<ref name=":0" /> The product's name was taken from the Latin motto of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "Mens et Manus," meaning "mind and hand." Most of Butterfly Effect's researchers and engineers were based in China at the time, and Manus was designed for markets outside China because it relied on American AI models that were unavailable domestically.<ref name=":0" />
=== Launch (March 2025) === Manus launched in invitation-only beta on March 6, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wheatley |first=Mike |date=2025-03-09 |title=China's new AI agent Manus gets global attention for its autonomous smarts |url=https://siliconangle.com/2025/03/09/chinas-new-ai-agent-manus-gets-global-attention-autonomous-smarts/ |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=SiliconANGLE |language=en-US}}</ref> The launch demo video, which depicted the agent autonomously completing tasks such as resume screening and stock analysis, drew more than one million views within twenty hours.<ref name=":1" /> Demand for invitation codes drove a secondary market in which codes were resold on Chinese platforms such as Xianyu and on social-media and e-commerce sites for prices reportedly between ¥50,000 and ¥100,000 (approximately US$7,000 to US$13,800 at the time), according to state-owned China Daily.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cheng |first=Yu |date=March 6, 2025 |title=Manus AI launched in China, challenging GPT and DeepSeek |url=https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202503/06/WS67c9ba2fa310c240449d9276.html |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=China Daily}}</ref> The Wall Street Journal reported that codes were resold for more than US$1,000.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Huang |first=Raffaele |date=2026-04-27 |title=China Bans Meta’s Acquisition of Manus on National Security Grounds |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-bans-metas-acquisition-of-manus-on-national-security-grounds-71e10c3f |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
=== Funding === Earlier funding rounds for Butterfly Effect included a 2023 seed round led by ZhenFund and a Series A in November 2024 that brought in Sequoia China (now known as HSG) and Tencent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osawa |first=Juro |date=December 30, 2025 |title=Meta’s Acquisition Values Manus at More Than $2 Billion |url=https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/metas-acquisition-values-manus-2-billion |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=The Information |language=en}}</ref> In April 2025, the company raised approximately US$75 million in a Series B round led by Benchmark, valuing the company at approximately US$500 million.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Rollet |first=Charles |date=2025-05-09 |title=The US is reviewing Benchmark’s investment into Chinese AI startup Manus |url=https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/09/the-us-is-reviewing-benchmarks-investment-into-chinese-ai-startup-manus/ |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> Earlier investors including Tencent, HSG, and ZhenFund participated, alongside additional investors such as Wang Huiwen, the co-founder of Meituan, and Old Friendship Capital.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Wency |date=2025-12-30 |title=China-founded AI start-up Manus acquired by Meta for ‘billions’ |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3338117/china-founded-ai-agent-start-manus-acquired-zuckerbergs-meta-billions |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> As part of the Benchmark deal, Benchmark general partner Chetan Puttagunta joined the company's board.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Au-Yeung |first=Angel |last2=Huang |first2=Raffaele |last3=Clark |first3=Kate |date=2025-12-30 |title=Exclusive {{!}} Meta Buys AI Startup Manus for More Than $2 Billion |url=https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/meta-buys-ai-startup-manus-adding-millions-of-paying-users-f1dc7ef8 |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>
Earlier in 2025, several local governments in China offered to invest in Manus. The founders declined the offers, citing concerns that domestic government ties could create scrutiny in Western markets and complicate the company's global business.<ref name=":0" />
In May 2025, Semafor and other outlets reported that the U.S. Department of the Treasury had begun reviewing the Benchmark investment under the Outbound Investment Security Program (OISP).<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Albergotti |first=Reed |date=May 9, 2025 |title=US Treasury examining Benchmark Capital’s ties to Chinese startup Manus AI |url=https://www.semafor.com/article/05/09/2025/us-treasury-examining-benchmark-capitals-ties-to-chinese-startup-manus-ai |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260302075010/https://www.semafor.com/article/05/09/2025/us-treasury-examining-benchmark-capitals-ties-to-chinese-startup-manus-ai |archive-date=2026-03-02 |access-date=2026-04-28 |work=Semafor |language=en}}</ref> The OISP, which had taken effect on January 2, 2025, requires U.S. entities to notify the Treasury of investments in artificial intelligence and other sensitive technologies in "countries of concern," including China.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 17, 2025 |title=Treasury Eyes CFIUS Fast Track and Artificial Intelligence Invest |url=https://natlawreview.com/article/treasurys-latest-moves-fast-track-foreign-investors-outbound-ai-investment-inquiry |access-date=2026-04-28 |website=natlawreview.com |language=en}}</ref> According to people familiar with the inquiry, Benchmark's outside counsel had concluded that the investment fell outside the OISP requirements on the grounds that Manus did not train its own foundation models and that Butterfly Effect was incorporated in the Cayman Islands.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> After Manus moved its headquarters to Singapore, the U.S. Treasury Department review largely faded as a concern in Washington.<ref name=":0" />
=== Relocation to Singapore (mid-2025) === Following the Series B round, Butterfly Effect relocated its headquarters from Wuhan and Beijing to Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhou |first=Cissy |last2=Yu |first2=Yifan |date=April 28, 2026 |title=China's block of Meta-Manus deal spooks entrepreneurs and investors |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/business/technology/artificial-intelligence/china-s-block-of-meta-manus-deal-spooks-entrepreneurs-and-investors |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en |quote="Manus was initially dual-based in China's Wuhan and Beijing but later relocated its key staff to Singapore and described itself as a Singaporean company after mid-2025. It later shut down its offices in China and laid off most of its employees."}}</ref> The three co-founders relocated in mid-2025,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Park |first=Kate |date=2026-04-27 |title=China blocks Meta’s $2B Manus deal after months-long probe |url=https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/27/china-vetoes-metas-2b-manus-deal-after-months-long-probe/ |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}</ref> and a separate Singapore-based entity, also called Butterfly Effect, took over operation of the AI agent product in markets outside China. The original Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology continued to exist as a Chinese-registered company.<ref name=":4" /> Of approximately 120 China-based employees, around 40 core technical staff relocated to Singapore. The remainder were laid off.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 8, 2025 |title=Manus shifts HQ to Singapore, cuts China jobs |url=https://www.techinasia.com/news/manus-shifts-hq-singapore-cuts-china-jobs |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=Tech in Asia |language=en-US}}</ref> By late 2025, Manus had around 100 employees, primarily in Singapore.<ref name=":0" /> The company also closed its Chinese-language social media accounts, blocked access from mainland China,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Wency |date=2025-07-15 |title=Manus AI lays off China staff, scrubs social media, shelves mainland service |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3318310/manus-ai-lays-china-staff-scrubs-social-media-shelves-mainland-service |access-date=2026-04-29 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en}}</ref> and shelved a planned Chinese version of the product that had been announced as a partnership with Alibaba's Qwen team.<ref name=":0" />
In December 2025, the company reported that its revenue run rate had risen from approximately US$90 million in August to US$125 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Osawa |first=Juro |date=December 17, 2025 |title=Manus AI Agent Reaches $125 Million Annual Run Rate |url=https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/manus-ai-agent-reaches-125-million-annual-run-rate |url-access=subscription |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=The Information |language=en}}</ref>
=== Acquisition by Meta Platforms === In December 2025, Meta announced that it would acquire Manus, the company behind the Manus AI agent. Meta did not disclose financial terms, but the deal was reportedly valued between US$2-3 billion. At the time Meta approached Manus, the company had been seeking a new fundraising round at a valuation of approximately US$2 billion.<ref name=":5" />
Meta said it would continue to operate and sell the Manus service and integrate its technology into products, including Meta AI, while Manus said it would continue offering subscriptions through its own app and website and remain based in Singapore.<ref name="Reuters-2025-12-30">{{cite news |date=2025-12-30 |title=Meta to buy Chinese founded startup Manus to boost advanced AI |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/meta-acquire-chinese-startup-manus-boost-advanced-ai-features-2025-12-29/ |work=Reuters|last=Varghese|first=Harshita Mary|first2=Arnav|last2=Mishra|first3=Kane|last3=Wu}}</ref><ref name="AP-2025-12-29">{{cite news |date=2025-12-29 |title=Meta buys startup Manus in latest move to advance its artificial intelligence efforts |url=https://apnews.com/article/meta-manus-purchase-ai-agents-aaf01029923011a403ceeb949cf3db5e |work=Associated Press}}</ref>
In January 2026, China's Ministry of Commerce announced that it would conduct an "evaluative investigation" into the acquisition alongside other relevant Chinese authorities to assess whether the deal complied with China’s rules on export controls, technology transfer, and foreign investment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Qu |first=Tracy |date=2026-01-08 |title=China to Review Meta’s Manus Deal |url=https://www.wsj.com/business/deals/china-to-review-metas-manus-deal-eb1a2c03 |access-date=2026-05-01 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> The Chinese government subsequently issued exit bans for Manus executives under scrutiny.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Swanson |first=Ana |last2=Tobin |first2=Meaghan |last3=Mozur |first3=Paul |last4=Tan |first4=Eli |date=2026-03-17 |title=China Ramps Up Scrutiny of Meta’s Acquisition of Manus |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/technology/china-scrutiny-meta-manus.html |access-date=2026-03-17 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cadell |first=Cate |last2=Tiku |first2=Nitasha |date=2026-03-25 |title=China bars executives at Meta-owned AI company from leaving country |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/25/meta-manus-china-executives-banned/ |access-date=2026-03-26 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref>
On April 27, 2026, Chinese National Development and Reform Commission blocked Meta's acquisition of Manus, requiring "the parties involved to withdraw the acquisition transaction".<ref>{{cite news |title=China blocks Meta's $2bn acquisition of AI start-up Manus |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0v0gr2yz7o |access-date=27 April 2026 |work=www.bbc.com |date=27 April 2026}}</ref> In response, Meta said the transaction had complied with applicable law and that the company anticipated "an appropriate resolution to the inquiry.<ref> {{cite news |title=China blocks Meta's acquisition of Manus |url= https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/27/tech/china-blocks-meta-manus-intl-hnk |access-date=27 April 2026 |date=27 April 2026|last=Liu|first=John|work=CNN}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website}}
{{Generative AI}}
Category:2025 software Category:Large language models Category:2025 in artificial intelligence Category:Microsoft Store Awards 2025 winners