DETROIT (AP) — Meta is buying artificial intelligence startup Manus, as the owner of Facebook and Instagram continues an aggressive push to amp up AI offerings across its platforms.
The California tech giant declined to disclose financial details of the acquisition. But The Wall Street Journal reported that Meta closed the deal at more than $2 billion.
Manus, a Singapore-based platform with some Chinese roots, launched its first “general-purpose” AI agent earlier this year. The platform offers paid subscriptions for customers to use this technology for research, coding and other tasks.
“Manus is already serving the daily needs of millions of users and businesses worldwide,” Meta said in a Monday announcement, adding that it plans to scale this service — as Manus will “deliver general-purpose agents across our consumer and business products, including in Meta AI.”
Xiao Hong, CEO of Manus, added that joining Meta will allow the platform to “build on a stronger, more sustainable foundation without changing how Manus works or how decisions are made.” Manus confirmed that it would continue to sell and operate subscriptions through its own app and website.
The platform has grown rapidly over the past year. Earlier this month, Manus announced that it had crossed the $100 million mark in annual recurring revenue, just eight months after launching.
Some of Manus' initial financial backers reportedly included China's Tencent Holdings, ZhenFund and HSG. And the company that first launched the platform — Butterfly Effect, which also operates under the name monica.im, which was founded in China before moving to Singapore.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that there would be “no continuing Chinese ownership interests in Manus AI” following its transaction, and that the platform would also discontinue its services and operations in China. Manus reiterated that it would continue to operate in Singapore, where most of its employees are based.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pushing to revive its commercial AI efforts as the company faces tough competition from rivals such as Google and OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. In June, the company made a $14.3 billion investment in AI data company Scale and recruited its CEO Alexandr Wang to help lead a team developing “superintelligence” at the tech giant.
FILE - Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the company's Connect developer conference Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Nic Coury, File)
PHOENIX (AP) — Shea Ralph of Vanderbilt was named The Associated Press women's basketball Coach of the Year on Thursday after turning the Commodores into one of the top teams in the nation.
Ralph led a team that returned just one starter to the most successful season in school history. The team went 29-5, with 13 of those wins coming in the regular season against a rugged Southeastern Conference schedule. The Commodores finished tied for second in the conference, which matched the best finish in program history. They earned a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16.
“It's wild. It’s hard to wrap my mind around it. This whole year we haven’t slowed down,” Ralph told the AP. “I love basketball, I love the group that I coach.I love they stayed with me. It’s been hard and it’s been challenging, but in a good way.”
Ralph received the award with her entire Vanderbilt coaching staff, as well as her mom, husband and daughter in attendance. It was also special for Ralph with her UConn family there as well as they were also there to celebrate AP Player of the Year Sarah Strong.
Ralph received 23 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. UCLA’s Cori Close, who was the AP Coach of the Year last season, was next with four. Ralph’s mentor at UConn, Geno Auriemma, received two votes while Mark Kellogg of West Virginia and Kara Lawson of Duke each received one.
”The thing I love the most of where I'm at is the vision never changed," Ralph said. “That's really important to me. Do it at a high level at Vanderbilt is really important to me. They've shown what that looks like to invest in women. Really invest in women. The resources and money, but also the development and academics.”
Ralph is the first Vanderbilt coach to win the award, which was launched in 1994-95. Her team, which won seven more games than the year before and was ranked as high as No. 5 in the AP poll, was led by All-America guard Mikayla Blakes.
“She’s someone you would want to run through a brick wall for,” Blakes said. “She has bought so much into us that it’s only right that we continue to fight in this game for her, and she’s someone who in tough moments you want to lean on. And that’s the reason why I came here.”
Vanderbilt started out 20-0 and had seven wins over ranked teams this season.
“I think truly we never talked about it,” Ralph said of the undefeated start. “I chuckled to some of my staff members this is what I’m used to. I feel comfortable here. Keep kicking their butts in practice and challenging them and keep preparing the same way no matter what our record is.”
AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Associated Press deputy global sports editor Oscar Dixon, left, presents Vanderbilt women's basketball head coach Shea Ralph with the 2026 AP Women's Coach of the Year award during a news conference at the Women's Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
FILE - Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph smiles during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Vanderbilt head coach Shea Ralph cheers on her players in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Alabama, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
