Meta begins testing paid subscriptions for its AI chatbot and explores cloud computing as it seeks revenue beyond advertising

Meta announced it will test two subscription tiers for Meta AI ($7.99 and $19.99 per month) available first in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia, while also launching premium subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said a potential cloud computing business is 'definitely on the table,' which could position Meta against Amazon, Microsoft, and Google in cloud infrastructure—a sector currently dominated by Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google.

Nearly 98% of Meta's $56.3 billion in first-quarter revenue came from advertising. Analysts at Wolfe Research project AI subscriptions could contribute up to $3 billion to Meta's total revenue for 2027, growing to $16 billion by 2030, though this remains small relative to the company's $200 billion annual revenue.

Meta's past efforts to diversify revenue have largely failed: the Portal video-calling device was discontinued after four years; Oculus VR acquisition has generated over $80 billion in operating losses since late 2020; the Libra cryptocurrency project shut down in 2022; and Workplace, its business chat product, will eventually close after debuting in 2016.