Meta to trial premium subscriptions for AI-powered social features

Meta is set to launch a new trial of premium subscription services across its core platforms – Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp – marking a significant shift in how the tech giant monetizes its user base.

While the company confirmed that basic access to its social media services will remain free, the upcoming pilot program will put advanced artificial intelligence capabilities and specialized creative tools behind a paywall.

A primary driver of this new subscription model is the integration of technology from Manus, a Singapore-based AI firm that Meta reportedly acquired in December for $2 billion.

Manus specializes in “autonomous agents” – sophisticated AI tools capable of completing complex, multi-step tasks such as planning international travel or building business presentations with minimal human intervention.

Meta intends to fold these agents into its “Meta AI” ecosystem to offer subscribers a more proactive digital assistant.

The trial will also include paid access to “Vibes,” a new AI video generation app designed to transform text prompts into high-quality visual content. By offering these high-end AI tools as part of a premium tier, Meta is looking to diversify its revenue streams beyond its traditional advertising model, which has faced increasing regulatory and economic pressure in recent years.

This move follows Meta’s previous experiments with paid services, such as the “Meta Verified” program launched in 2023, which allowed users to purchase a blue checkmark for a monthly fee. More recently, the company tested limits on the number of external links users could post on Facebook without a subscription, a move described as an effort to understand the “additional value” premium features provide to power users.

However, the international rollout of these services faces potential hurdles. The acquisition of Manus has drawn the attention of Chinese regulators, who launched an investigation in January to determine if the deal violates national technology export laws. Despite these geopolitical tensions, Meta remains committed to deploying Manus’s “autonomous” technology across its business and consumer products.

As the trial begins in the coming months, Meta hopes to prove that its massive user base is willing to pay for a smarter, more automated social media experience.