Topline
Meta is releasing premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, according to a Wednesday announcement, offering extra features for consumers under a subscription platform known as “Meta One.”
Meta announced the premium plans Wednesday. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
As Meta rolls out testing for the subscriptions, users will begin to see offers for Instagram Plus and Facebook Plus, both of which cost $3.99 per month, and WhatsApp Plus, which will be $2.99 per month, according to multiple reports.
Users paying for the premium subscriptions will have access to profile customization and story insights, TechCrunch reported, with Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, saying in a video more features will eventually be added.
Consumers who use Meta’s artificial intelligence offerings will also be able to subscribe to premium plans including Meta One Plus for $7.99 per month or Meta One Premium for $19.99 per month, Bloomberg reported, offering users higher usage limits that will allow them to assign more complex tasks to their AI assistants.
Meta Verified, which focuses on profile verification and offers protections against impersonation, will not be impacted by the new subscriptions, TechCrunch added.
Tangent
Meta shares surged following reports of the subscriptions, closing up 3.7% to $635.36. The tech giant’s stock is down 6.6% in the past month of trading.
Key Background
Meta’s shift toward paid subscriptions comes as the company has deepened its spending commitments to AI. Meta increased its capital expenditure guidance to $125 billion to $145 billion this year—a $10 billion increase from its initial guidance and double its 2025 guidance. Several tech companies including Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet have made similar jumps in AI spending. Meta’s stock has struggled this year, posting a nearly 4% drop since the start of January as it grapples with a drop in users it attributed in its first quarter earnings to “internet disruptions in Iran.” The company reported $56.3 billion in revenue in its latest quarter, up 33% year-over-year, as it has laid off 8,000 employees amid the push for stronger AI offerings. Meta told 7,000 employees this month they would be reassigned to focus on artificial intelligence initiatives.
Further Reading
Meta Reassigns Or Cuts 15,000 Workers Amid Mass AI Integration (Forbes)
Big Tech Is On Track To Spend $750 Billion On AI This Year (Forbes)