Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros Discovery Aims to Cut Streaming Costs and Reshape the Industry 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Amazon Italy Pays €180M in Compensation as Delivery Staff Probe Ends 
OpenAI Moves to Acquire Neptune as It Expands AI Training Capabilities 
Sam Altman Reportedly Explored Funding for Rocket Venture in Potential Challenge to SpaceX 
Trump Administration to Secure Equity Stake in Pat Gelsinger’s XLight Startup 
Proxy Advisors Urge Vote Against ANZ’s Executive Pay Report Amid Scandal Fallout 
Australia Moves Forward With Teen Social Media Ban as Platforms Begin Lockouts 
Rio Tinto Raises 2025 Copper Output Outlook as Oyu Tolgoi Expansion Accelerates 
ByteDance Unveils New AI Voice Assistant for ZTE Smartphones 
Firelight Launches as First XRP Staking Platform on Flare, Introduces DeFi Cover Feature 
IKEA Expands U.S. Manufacturing Amid Rising Tariffs and Supply Chain Strategy Shift 
Norway’s Wealth Fund Backs Shareholder Push for Microsoft Human-Rights Risk Report 
Apple Alerts EU Regulators That Apple Ads and Maps Meet DMA Gatekeeper Thresholds 
IKEA Launches First New Zealand Store, Marking Expansion Into Its 64th Global Market 
Banks Consider $38 Billion Funding Boost for Oracle, Vantage, and OpenAI Expansion 
Intel Boosts Malaysia Operations with Additional RM860 Million Investment 
Chinese AI startup Butterfly Effect, the creator of Manus AI, has raised $75 million in a funding round led by U.S.-based venture capital firm Benchmark, according to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter. The funding round, which also saw participation from existing backers, has reportedly boosted the company’s valuation fivefold to nearly $500 million.
Butterfly Effect aims to use the fresh capital to fuel international expansion, targeting key markets such as the United States, Japan, and the Middle East. The move comes as global demand intensifies for next-generation AI tools capable of automating complex digital tasks.
Manus AI attracted widespread attention in March after launching a general-purpose AI agent designed to handle a variety of everyday tasks, including resume screening, travel planning, and stock analysis. According to the company, the Manus agent outperforms OpenAI’s Deep Research tool on several benchmarks, signaling strong competitive potential in the rapidly evolving AI market.
The startup has also introduced a subscription model for its AI assistant, starting at $39 per month, appealing to individual users and professionals seeking productivity-enhancing tools.
Prior to this latest funding, Butterfly Effect had secured over $10 million from prominent investors such as Tencent, ZhenFund, and HSG, according to Chinese media reports. The rapid rise in valuation and backing from major venture firms positions the startup as a formidable new player in the global AI race.
With the AI sector experiencing explosive growth, Butterfly Effect’s Manus AI could emerge as a strong challenger to established players by offering more adaptable and efficient AI solutions tailored to real-world use cases.
