On September 1, general-purpose AI agent company Manus announced that it has officially resumed independent operations. The company will continue to be led by its original founding team, consisting of Xiao Hong, Zhang Tao, and Ji Yichao.
Independent Operations Officially Restored
In an announcement on its official website, Manus said that as an independent AI agent laboratory, it will continue to push the boundaries of general-purpose AI agents and turn new capabilities into products that help users tackle complex tasks.
The company noted that some users may need to back up and restore their data during the transition and may experience temporary interruptions in access. Users whose data has been backed up but not yet restored can complete the recovery process through the official portal. There is no deadline for data restoration.
Background: Acquisition Deal Blocked
The resumption of independent operations marks the completion of the separation process between Manus and Meta.
Looking back, Meta announced in December 2025 that it would acquire Manus for approximately $2 billion. In January 2026, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it would work with relevant authorities to conduct an assessment and investigation into the acquisition.
On April 27, the Office of the Working Mechanism for Foreign Investment Security Review under the National Development and Reform Commission officially decided to prohibit the investment and required the acquisition transaction to be terminated.
The move marked the first publicly disclosed foreign acquisition in China’s AI sector to be blocked since the implementation of the Foreign Investment Security Review Measures in 2020.
Future Focus on Product Innovation
Manus said that as an independent AI agent laboratory, it will work to integrate general-purpose AI agents more deeply into users’ daily workflows, enable them to interact more directly with the external environment, and allow them to take a more proactive role in carrying out tasks on users’ behalf.
Zhang Tao, a partner at Manus, said on social media that over the past few weeks, the company has launched new features including Cloud Computer, Scheduled Tasks 2.0, and Manus for small and medium-sized businesses. He noted that the company’s release pace has been faster than before.
Manus did not disclose the company’s post-restructuring ownership structure or details of its intellectual property separation arrangements with Meta in the latest announcement.