China Bars Manus Co-Founders from Leaving Country Amid Meta Deal Review

China has barred two co-founders of artificial intelligence startup Manus from leaving the country as regulators review whether Meta's $2 billion acquisition of the firm violated investment rules, according to a Financial Times report. Manus CEO Xiao Hong and chief scientist Ji Yichao were summoned to a meeting in Beijing with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) this month.

Following the meeting, the executives were told they could not leave China due to a regulatory review, though they remain free to travel within the country. Manus is actively seeking legal and consulting assistance to help resolve the matter.

Meta announced in December that it would acquire Manus, which develops general-purpose AI agents capable of operating as digital employees. These agents perform tasks such as research and automation with minimal prompting. Financial terms were not disclosed, but a source told Reuters the deal valued Manus at $2 billion-$3 billion.

A Meta spokesperson stated: "The transaction complied fully with applicable law. We anticipate an appropriate resolution to the inquiry." Earlier this year, China's commerce ministry said it would assess and investigate Meta's acquisition of Manus.