China restricts international travel for AI experts in private firms to secure top-level talent

As of now, there is no official guidance on which roles, expertise, or seniority levels will be included in the travel ban. Bloomberg reported that individuals added to the list are assessed based on their importance to China’s AI ambitions, rather than solely on their job title or company position. The move is seen as an expansion of an existing directive under which some AI engineers were required to report overseas travel plans, although they were still permitted to travel when necessary.

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The policy comes months after Meta’s reported acquisition of Manus AI, which China allegedly sought to unwind to prevent the US from gaining access to Chinese AI talent. Reports suggest the new policy is designed to prevent the leakage of key technological advancements.

China has also grown increasingly cautious about US tech companies spending heavily to attract AI talent. Alongside the reported $2.5 billion Manus deal, Meta has offered large compensation packages, including signing bonuses reportedly reaching $100 million, to recruit experts from rival firms.

With such intense global competition for AI talent, Beijing appears to be taking proactive steps to retain its top workforce. However, in the long term, these restrictions could discourage Chinese AI talent abroad from returning home and may also prompt some domestic engineers to move overseas earlier in their careers to avoid future limitations, potentially reshaping global talent flows in the AI sector.

Manus AI deal developments

Manus AI co-founders are reportedly evaluating options to comply with China’s directive to unwind Meta’s $2 billion-plus acquisition of the AI startup, according to Bloomberg. The founders are exploring possibilities, including raising around $1 billion from external investors to buy back control of the company, sources familiar with the matter said.

They are also considering a funding round that could value the company close to the price Meta paid for the Singapore-based startup. Meta had announced the acquisition in late December to expand advanced AI integration across its platforms.

Chinese authorities reportedly launched a review into whether the deal violated investment rules and have also barred two Manus co-founders from leaving the country. Last month, Beijing allegedly ordered Meta to unwind the acquisition amid tighter scrutiny of US investments in domestic tech firms, as tensions between the US and China’s technology sectors continue to rise.