Why Meta’s Acquisition of a Chinese AI Startup is Revealing
Meta has snapped up one of the AI sector’s startups, closing a deal that reflects the fierce race among U.S. technology companies to secure an edge in what many see as the defining technology of the next decade. Manus, an AI startup with roots in China and headquarters in Singapore, announced that it will become part of Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. The firm has built its reputation around AI tools designed for small and mid-sized businesses. Unlike other chatbots that rely heavily on prompts from users, Manus promotes its technology as software that can independently decide how to carry out…