Manus AI is likely one of the hottest AI agent startups round, not too long ago elevating $75 million at a half-billion-dollar valuation in a spherical led by Benchmark.
But two unnamed sources informed Semafor that the funding is now beneath assessment by the U.S. Treasury Department over its compliance with 2023 restrictions on investing in Chinese firms.
Benchmark’s legal professionals cleared the funding as a result of Manus isn’t technically creating its personal AI fashions, however is as an alternative a “wrapper” round current ones, Semafor reported.
Those legal professionals additionally concluded Manus isn’t China-based because it’s integrated within the Cayman Islands. (That’s a standard construction utilized by Chinese firms, like Alibaba, to entry international capital.)
Benchmark has attracted criticism for its Manus funding from Founders Fund associate Delian Asparouhov, who posted on X “wow, actions have penalties?”.
Benchmark, Manus, and Treasury didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
