Meta Severs Manus Data Access After China Orders Buyout Unwound

Meta has abruptly cut off data access to Manus, the Chinese AI startup at the center of a forced divestment, marking an escalating tech Cold War moment where American companies are weaponizing their control of artificial intelligence infrastructure in response to geopolitical pressure. The move comes after China's government ordered the reversal of what was supposed to be a completed acquisition, transforming a routine startup deal into a flashpoint over who controls critical AI development tools. The severing of access leaves Manus scrambling to rebuild its systems from scratch, illustrating how quickly tech dominance can translate into economic leverage between rival superpowers.

Bloomberg.com·1d ago