Nvidia–Groq and Meta–Manus deals herald 2026 AI consolidation wave

Spanish outlet ElNacional.cat reported from Barcelona at 5:30 a.m. CET on Jan. 4, 2026 that Nvidia is paying around $20 billion for a licensing and talent deal with Groq, while Meta is acquiring Chinese‑founded AI agent startup Manus for an estimated $2–3 billion. The column frames these moves as emblematic of an AI M&A boom and a prelude to blockbuster IPOs from SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic.([elnacional.cat](https://www.elnacional.cat/oneconomia/es/on-ia/semana-ia-inteligencia-artificial-va-compras_1532545_102.html))