Meta’s $2 Billion Deal To Buy AI Startup Manus Blocked By China

China's government has blocked Meta's $2 billion acquisition of the artificial intelligence startup Manus, marking a rare and striking intervention in Silicon Valley deal-making and signaling Beijing's determination to control which Western tech giants can access cutting-edge AI capabilities on Chinese soil. The move underscores an intensifying tech cold war, as China increasingly weaponizes regulatory power to prevent American companies from gaining strategic advantages in an AI race both nations view as existential. For Meta and other tech firms seeking growth beyond the West, the blockade suggests that even well-capitalized acquisitions may no longer be sufficient to navigate Beijing's tightening grip over its tech ecosystem.

Forbes·5d ago