Meta is planning to introduce a premium subscription for its artificial intelligence assistant, joining rivals OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft in offering paid AI services. CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined the strategy during the company’s Q1 earnings call on April 30.

“Over time, I expect the business opportunity for Meta AI to follow our normal product development playbook,” Zuckerberg said. “I think there will be a large opportunity to show product recommendations or ads, as well as a premium service for people who want to unlock more … functionality or intelligence.”

The announcement comes as Meta launches its first standalone Meta AI app, which offers personalized interactions based on users’ interests shown while browsing content across Meta’s platforms. The app includes a social feed where users can discover ways others are using the AI assistant.

Nearly 1B Users Already Engaging with Meta AI

Meta reports that Meta AI has reached nearly one billion monthly active users across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. The company’s focus for 2025 is “deepening the experience and making Meta AI the leading personal AI — with an emphasis on personalization, voice conversations, and entertainment,” according to Zuckerberg.

The tech giant reported $42.3 billion in Q1 revenue, up 16% year-over-year, and has increased its AI investment forecast to $64-72 billion for the year, up from the previous $60-65 billion projection.

Meta doesn’t plan to rush monetization efforts. “I expect that we’re going to be largely focused on scaling and deepening engagement for at least the next year before we’ll really be ready to start building out the business here,” Zuckerberg stated.