Meta will pilot premium subscriptions for its popular platforms, including Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.
TechCrunch reported on the 26th (local time) that Meta plans to pilot a new paid subscription across its flagship platforms within months. Meta will offer paying users more features, including artificial intelligence (AI). Core features will reportedly remain free.
It also plans to build subscription models with differentiated, exclusive features tailored to each app's characteristics.
According to the report, Meta also plans to use the general-purpose AI agent of "Manus," which it recently acquired, for the subscription service. Meta acquired Manus, headquartered in Singapore, last month for about $2 billion (about 2.9 trillion won).
CNBC said Meta is also considering including its AI video generator "Vibes" in the subscription.
It is seen as Meta moving to monetize through a new subscription model after spending massive funds last year on hiring AI talent and acquiring corporations. The new subscription service could help expand Meta's revenue, but TechCrunch noted that users already subscribed to numerous services may hesitate to sign up due to "subscription fatigue."
TechCrunch said, "With countless services competing to secure paying users, Meta will need to offer a product compelling enough to persuade users to spend money on yet another subscription."