Chinese AI promoter shifts headquarters to Singapore amid US-China tech war

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – A major Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) promoter has relocated its headquarters to Singapore amid a raging tech war between China and the US, local media reported on Wednesday.

Beijing Butterfly Effect Technology, the developer of the much-hyped AI agent Manus, has joined a growing group of local AI startups in Singapore, focusing on overseas markets to capitalize on foreign demand and navigate the US-China tech war, Beijing-based Caixin Global reported.

The move is seen as a response to growing challenges for Chinese companies seeking access to US capital and technologies.

The relocation aims to mitigate the impact of US investment restrictions on Chinese AI companies, as well as the escalating AI competition between the two economic giants.

It also provides Manus with better access to international markets and computing resources.

The Chinese entity launched its general-purpose AI agent Manus in March, which quickly gained traction for its ability to autonomously perform complex tasks, such as filtering resumes and analyzing stocks.

However, Manus is currently only available overseas.

Days after the launch, Butterfly Effect announced a plan to roll out a Chinese version in partnership with Alibaba Group, leveraging the tech giant’s open-source model.

Nonetheless, there has been no further information about this collaboration.

*Writing by Aamir Latif