Monday, April 27, 2026 4:50 pm –
Jerusalem time
The technological conflict between the great powers has entered a new phase of escalation, after the Chinese authorities officially announced that they prevented the American technology giant “Meta” from acquiring the advanced “Manos” artificial intelligence system. This step comes to block the ambitions of the company that owns the Facebook and Instagram platforms to enhance its technical capabilities by integrating emerging Chinese innovations.
The National Development and Reform Commission, the highest economic planning body in China, issued a firm statement confirming that the regulatory authorities had decided to ban any foreign investment related to the Manus project. The authority called on all concerned parties to cancel the acquisition procedures immediately, considering that the project represents part of national innovation that must be protected.
In late December last year, Meta revealed that it had reached an initial agreement to acquire the system developed by the emerging company, Butterfly Effect. Although the company is currently headquartered in Singapore, its technical roots and founders are still closely linked to the technological environment in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
In a related context, international press reports revealed strict measures taken by Beijing to ensure that the technology does not leave its borders, which included preventing the founding partners of the startup company from leaving the country. These measures reflect China’s growing concern about the transfer of intellectual property in sensitive areas such as artificial intelligence to major American companies.
For its part, Meta responded with a brief statement in which it confirmed that all transaction procedures were carried out in accordance with internationally applicable laws and regulations. The company expressed its hope to overcome these regulatory obstacles and reach a solution that satisfies all parties, stressing the importance of the system in developing its services directed to billions of users.
The transaction was completed entirely based on applicable law, and we expect to reach an appropriate solution.
Economic analysts believe that the value of this canceled deal may exceed two billion dollars, given the unique capabilities of the Manus system. Through this acquisition, Meta aims to fill the gap in autonomous automation capabilities, a field that is witnessing fierce competition with companies such as OpenAI and Google.
The Manos system differs fundamentally from traditional conversational assistants such as GPT Chat, as it is designed to be an ‘artificial intelligence agent’ capable of performing complex tasks autonomously. The system can handle the process of sorting resumes or booking flights from start to finish without constant human intervention, making it a superior productivity tool.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously praised the ‘Manus’ system as a pioneering model of local technological innovation, placing it in a parallel position to the famous ‘Deep Sec’ model. Beijing views these technologies as key pillars of its strategy for digital sovereignty and global technical superiority in the next decade.
Sources indicate that the system has received widespread attention since its first appearance in March 2025, after videos showing its superior capabilities spread on social media. Major international companies were quick to request a trial of the system, making it a strategic target for acquisition by major technology companies in Silicon Valley.
The fate of ‘Manus’ remains suspended between pressure from Chinese regulatory bodies and the desire of foreign investors to access innovative technologies. This incident confirms that the struggle for dominance over artificial intelligence will not be limited to software laboratories, but will extend to include the corridors of politics and the sovereign decisions of countries.
