Tencent Moves to Become Largest Shareholder in AI Startup Manus at $2B Valuation After Regulators Block Meta Deal
Summary
Tencent is in talks to become the largest external shareholder in agentic AI startup Manus at a $2 billion valuation, moving aggressively into the AI race after Chinese regulators blocked Meta's acquisition of the company.
Key Points
- Tencent Holdings is in talks to become the largest external shareholder in agentic AI startup Manus, targeting a $2 billion valuation after Chinese regulators blocked Meta Platforms' acquisition of the company.
- The deal involves unwinding Meta's completed purchase of Manus, with venture capital firms ZhenFund and HSG also participating in the negotiations, as data sharing between Meta and Manus has already been halted.
- Tencent is aggressively pursuing agentic AI technology to strengthen its position in the AI race, recently launching a prototype AI agent for its massive WeChat ecosystem while also backing high-profile startups like DeepSeek and Moonshot AI.