The owner of Chinese general artificial intelligence agent Manus is reportedly seeking a new round of financing based on a valuation of at least US$500 million (HK$3.9 billion), The Information reported.
The latest valuation of the Beijing-based Butterfly Effect posted a four-fold jump from its US$100 million valuation at the end of last year.
The funding is critical as Manus’ server capacity is limited and operating costs are under pressure due to a surge in users, according to the report.
Manus is currently using Anthropic’s Claude AI model and other tools at an average of US$2 per task, which has led to a surge in its operating costs.
The financing will reportedly allow Manus to expand its team and open an office in Tokyo, among other things.
STAFF REPORTER