Key Takeaways
- Meta plans to release a standalone Meta AI app in the second quarter, CNBC reported Thursday.
- CEO Mark Zuckerberg said last month that Meta AI could reach 1 billion people this year.
- Meta reportedly intends to test a paid subscription version of the app, similar to existing offerings from rivals like OpenAI.
Meta Platforms (META) plans to release a standalone Meta AI app that could compete with offerings from rivals like OpenAI and Alphabet’s (GOOGL) Google, according to a report from CNBC Thursday.
The app is expected to launch in the second quarter, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Meta AI is currently available via web browser, and through existing Meta apps Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
On Meta’s earnings call in January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Meta AI “is going to be one of the most transformative products that we’ve made” and could reach 1 billion people this year. The AI assistant has already scaled to 700 million monthly active users, CFO Susan Li said on the call, according to a transcript from AlphaSense. This comes as Mets plans to spend big on AI this year, with projected capital expenditures of $60 billion to $65 billion, up from $39 billion in 2024.
Meta is also expected to explore a subscription-based model, the report said, similar to how competitors such as OpenAI, Elon Musk’s xAI, and others charge for premium versions. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has an existing standalone app, as do Anthropic’s Claude, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s (MSFT) Copilot, and DeepSeek, among others.
Shares of Meta gained less than 1% in extended trading Thursday after falling 2% in the regular session. They’ve added about 12% since the start of the year through Thursday’s close.