According to reports, Manus reached more than US$100mil (RM405.7mil) in yearly sales just months after it launched, showing how quickly the company is expanding. — REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo
MENLO PARK: Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has agreed to buy a fast-growing artificial intelligence company called Manus. The deal is reported to be worth more than US$2bil (RM8.1bil), making it one of Meta’s bigger purchases ever.
Manus is a company based in Singapore that makes smart computer programs known as programs that work on their own. These programs can do tasks on their own, like research, planning and writing code without a person guiding every step.
The startup was originally founded by entrepreneurs from China but moved its headquarters to Singapore earlier this year. Manus says millions of people and businesses already use its AI services.
According to reports, Manus reached more than US$100mil (RM405.7mil) in yearly sales just months after it launched, showing how quickly the company is expanding.
Meta said it will add Manus’s technology to its own products. That means the Manus AI tools could eventually help people using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Meta AI.
Meta also said the Manus team will join its company, but Manus will still serve customers as a separate service too.
Meta has said it will end all Chinese ownership and operations for Manus after the sale is complete.
The purchase shows how large technology companies are racing to improve artificial intelligence tools for billions of users around the world. – cleveland.com/Tribune News Service
