Meta's $2 Billion AI Baby Gets Beijing's Blazing Gaze
Just when you thought Meta had safely tucked away its $2 billion AI baby, Manus, Beijing's long arm of scrutiny has stretched across the Pacific, not to offer congratulations, but to politely ask, 'What exactly is in that gift basket?' It seems the global tech playground now comes with an invisible fence, and even a casual game of M&A peek-a-boo requires a geopolitical security clearance that's harder to get than a blue checkmark on Threads. Forget antitrust; the new hotness is 'anti-espionage' when it comes to coveted AI assets.
This heightened review by Chinese officials isn't merely bureaucratic red tape; it signals a serious investigation into whether Meta's December acquisition of the agentic AI startup breached existing tech export controls or, more gravely, national security regulations. The core concern revolves around the potential compromise of Chinese technology or user data, and whether such sensitive information could have been inadvertently — or intentionally — transferred or shared with foreign entities through the transaction. It underscores the global tightening of oversight on cross-border tech deals, particularly those involving cutting-edge AI, where data privacy and technological sovereignty are paramount.
