China Probes Meta's A.I. Deal Over Security Rules

Chinese regulators have opened an investigation into Meta's latest acquisition. They will examine whether the U.S. tech giant's purchase of a Singapore-based start-up, called Manus, followed China's export control and foreign investment laws. The focus is on Manus's Chinese origins. Although Manus is officially a Singaporean company, its technological roots are in China. This connection brings the deal under the scrutiny of Beijing's strict security rules. The investigation highlights the growing global clash over artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology. China is asserting its legal authority to review overseas deals that involve Chinese-linked technology or talent. For Meta, this probe creates a new regulatory hurdle as it races to compete in advanced A.I. development. The outcome of the review could force changes to the deal or impose conditions on how the technology is used.