Meta introduces paid AI‑augmented subscription plans for WhatsApp in Europe

Meta is testing two new subscription tiers, Meta One Plus (€6.99 per month) and Meta One Premium (€20.99 per month), within the Android version of WhatsApp. The plans bundle premium features across WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Meta AI, offering advanced AI reasoning, image and video generation, as well as cosmetic customisations such as themes, icons and stickers. The rollout is in a limited beta, with Italy expected to be one of the first markets.

At the same time, the European Commission has issued a provisional order requiring Meta to keep the WhatsApp Business API open to rival general‑purpose AI assistants while an antitrust investigation continues. The measure aims to preserve competition in the emerging AI‑assistant market and could give users the option to interact with multiple AI services inside WhatsApp, though the timing and functionality will depend on individual providers and further regulatory decisions.