Meta Bought an AI Startup for $2 Billion and It Changes Everything for 2026

Happy New Year! 🎉

On this episode of Talk That Tech, Trey and J. Smith break down Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manus, and why this deal is a major signal that AI agents are no longer hype, they’re real business. In just nine months, Manus went from launch to $100M in annual recurring revenue by building AI agents that don’t just talk, but actually do the work: logging into tools, filling out forms, running research, and acting like a real digital employee.

In this episode of Talk That Tech, Trey Scott breaks down Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of Manus and why it signals a major turning point for artificial intelligence going into 2026.

This was not another hype driven AI deal. Manus grew from launch to $100 million in annual recurring revenue in just nine months, proving that AI agents that actually do work and make money are now the most valuable assets in tech.

The conversation explains what made Manus different from typical chatbots, why Meta was willing to pay such a massive price, and how this deal confirms that AI agents are becoming core business infrastructure. Trey also walks through what this means for founders, startups, and workers as Big Tech shifts from experimenting with AI to aggressively buying proven systems.

This episode explores why 2026 will be defined by consolidation, why speed and execution matter more than ever, and how AI agents are moving from cool demos to the backbone of daily work.

🎧 Hosted by Trey Scott and Joseph Smith

#TalkThatTech #AI #Meta #Startups #FutureOfWork #ArtificialIntelligence #TechNews #Podcast

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