Tencent weighs buying control of agentic AI leader Manus

Tencent is in talks to buy the largest stake in Manus, a Chinese company that pioneered agentic AI (autonomous AI agents that act on their own). According to the Financial Times, the negotiations are at an advanced stage.

Why Manus is a key player in agentic AI

Manus positions itself as a leader in building AI agents: systems that can plan and carry out complex tasks on their own, without constant human intervention. The field is seen as one of the most promising in the AI industry because it paves the way for more autonomous, self-directed AI systems.

Why Meta couldn't buy Manus

Meta Platforms had previously considered acquiring Manus to strengthen its position in agentic AI. Chinese regulators blocked the deal, however, concluding that such a merger could harm national interests in high technology. The block reflects Beijing's growing focus on controlling critical AI segments and its unwillingness to let Western companies dominate key areas of development.

Why Tencent wants Manus

For Tencent, taking a stake in Manus is a way to make sure leadership in agentic AI stays with Chinese companies. Tencent is one of the world's largest technology conglomerates, and the deal would let it steer how the field develops inside the country. The investment also reflects a view in Beijing that autonomous AI agents will be a defining theme of the coming decade, and that the field cannot be left under foreign control.

What it means

Tencent's bid to become Manus's largest shareholder is part of China's broader strategy to preserve sovereignty in AI development. Beijing's regulators are increasingly blocking Western companies from buying Chinese AI leaders while backing domestic players with strategic investments. For the global AI market, this means the technology will develop in parallel across Western (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) and Chinese (Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance) ecosystems.

*Meta is designated an extremist organization and banned in Russia.