Manus AI returns to independent operations after China blocks Meta takeover, deleting some user data from December 2025

Meta's attempt to acquire Chinese agentic AI startup Manus has collapsed after Beijing regulators blocked the deal in April 2026. Manus had relocated its headquarters to Singapore ahead of the acquisition, which Meta announced in December 2025 with the stated aim of folding Manus's general-purpose agents into its own products, including Meta AI. With foreign investment now forbidden, Manus is returning to independent operation. The company told users in a note that 'Manus will soon return to operating as an independent company.'

The separation carries a real cost for existing customers. Manus says legal requirements tied to the disentanglement mean it will delete some user data generated since December 29, 2025, with the cut-off set for August 24, 2026. Users who want to retain work must download it before the deadline. The platform will accept restored data from August 25 onward. Customers who fail to export will lose whatever Manus holds for them from that window.

Meta has not disclosed how or whether it will replace Manus's general-purpose agent technology. The acquisition announcement promised that 'Manus's exceptional talent will join Meta's team,' but it is unclear what survives the separation. The article notes Meta has not said what, if anything, it learned during its brief time working with the Chinese company, or whether that is enough to build what it wanted. For now, the agentic capabilities Meta planned to integrate are out of reach, with no public roadmap to recover them.

The case is a concrete example of China's regulatory willingness to prevent its AI startups from being acquired abroad, even by large US firms. At the same time, the article notes that China is using open-weight models to challenge American model-makers, a split posture: tightly controlling outbound M&A while exporting open-weight AI capabilities. For US companies eyeing Chinese AI targets, the Manus case sets a clear precedent. A Singapore headquarters and an agreed deal price are not enough if Beijing objects.