Maples and Calder, the Maples Group’s law firm, has advised Meta Platforms on its acquisition of Manus AI, an artificial-intelligence company known for developing autonomous AI agents capable of conducting deep research and executing complex digital tasks.
While financial terms were not disclosed by the parties, The Wall Street Journal reported that the transaction values Manus at more than US$2 billion, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the report, the Singapore-based company, which was founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, had been seeking a new fundraising round at a US$2 billion valuation when Meta approached with an acquisition proposal.
Manus develops a general AI agent designed to independently perform tasks such as market research, coding, data analysis and the creation of custom websites. The company attracted significant attention earlier this year after previewing an AI agent capable of producing detailed research reports, using large language models developed by third parties including Anthropic and Alibaba. Its rise followed the release of DeepSeek, a China-developed AI model that drew global attention for its advanced capabilities.
Under the deal, Manus co-founder and chief executive Xiao Hong is expected to report to Meta’s chief operating officer, Javier Olivan, The Wall Street Journal reported. Meta has said it plans to continue operating and selling Manus’s services and to integrate the technology into its wider suite of social-media products. The company added that it intends to scale the service to a broader business user base and confirmed that there will be no continuing Chinese ownership interests in Manus following completion, with the startup discontinuing its services and operations in China.
The acquisition marks one of the most high-profile examples of a major US technology company buying an AI product developed within Asia’s fast-growing startup ecosystem. It also signals a strategic shift for Meta as it accelerates investment in artificial intelligence to compete more directly with rivals such as Google, Microsoft and OpenAI, particularly in the rapidly emerging market for AI agents designed to carry out complex tasks with minimal human input.
The Maples Group team advising Meta was led by global head of Corporate Daniel Lee, alongside Corporate associates James Turner and Alex Taylor, who provided Cayman Islands legal advice and worked closely with Meta’s lead counsel, Davis Polk.
Ogier advised Manus AI on the transaction. The firm’s M&A team was led by partner Cynthia Anandajayasekeram, supported by global head of Corporate Nathan Powell, senior associate James O’Sullivan and senior legal managers Shirley Mak and Melissa Mak. Anandajayasekeram said the deal highlighted the surge in strategic investment and consolidation across the global artificial-intelligence sector, reflecting the accelerating pace of innovation-driven M&A in technology markets worldwide.
