China Blocks Departure of Manus Co-Founders Amid Meta Acquisition Review

China Restricts Co-Founders of Manus Amid Regulatory Review of Meta's $2 Billion Acquisition

Manus, a Singapore-based artificial intelligence startup, is facing a regulatory review by China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) following Meta's acquisition of the firm for a reported $2 billion to $3 billion in December.

According to the Financial Times, Manus's co-founders Xiao Hong and Ji Yichao were summoned to a meeting in Beijing this month, where they were informed that they are not allowed to leave the country while the regulatory review is underway. However, they remain free to travel within China.

Manus is actively seeking law firms and consultancies to help resolve the matter. The company's AI agents, which can operate as digital employees, execute tasks such as research and automation independently with minimal prompts.

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China's commerce ministry had earlier announced that it would assess and investigate Meta's acquisition of Manus. The Ministry of Public Security and Meta have not commented on the matter, while Reuters was unable to verify the report.