Tencent Enters Talks to Acquire Manus After Meta’s Deal Falls Through

Chinese technology giant Tencent is in discussions to become the major shareholder of artificial intelligence (AI) startup Manus, following Chinese regulators’ directive for Meta to reverse its $2 billion acquisition of the company. Tencent, in collaboration with Manus’ early investors ZhenFund and HSG, is looking to repurchase the company from Meta for a minimum of $2 billion, as reported by Reuters. The Financial Times initially disclosed these ongoing discussions. The acquisition saga unfolded when Meta announced its purchase of Manus in December, aligning with its strategic focus on agentic AI. Manus’ CEO Xiao Hong expressed optimism about the acquisition, stating,…