Manus returns to independence after Meta deal blocked

Chinese regulators blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of Manus AI, and the service is transitioning to independent operation, requiring users to back up their data by August 23.

Compiled by Sergey KostenchukPublished 2026-08-13Updated 2026-09-18

2026-08-13 Business Meta

💼 Manus returns to independence after Meta deal blocked

The Manus AI agent platform is returning to independent operation. China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of the company.

Users need to back up their data by August 23 via manus.im/backup. Data will be deleted on August 23-24. The service will return to operation on August 25. Manus is completely free during the transition period.

🌍 The block is a precedent in the US-China struggle for control over AI. China is applying a mechanism similar to CFIUS, restricting cross-border M&A in the AI agent sector.

👤 Manus users: back up via manus.im/backup by August 23. The service is free during the transition period.

Source: https://manus.im/blog/a-note-to-our-users

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