Meta rolls out paid Plus and Premium subscriptions with AI tools

Meta announced the launch of subscription services called Plus and Premium, adding a range of artificial‑intelligence features to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The plans, priced between roughly €1.10 and €21.50 per month depending on the tier, will be introduced in several large markets from mid‑June 2026. Early roll‑outs include India, where each service costs about €1.10 per month, Malaysia at roughly €0.90, and South Africa at about €1.40. A combined package for all three platforms is offered at around €2.50 per month.

The subscriptions provide AI‑driven tools such as virtual try‑on for clothing, enhanced video editing, advanced creator analytics, and a conversational "AI mode" for Facebook search powered by Meta’s Muse Spark model. Advertising remains unchanged, but subscribers gain benefits like ad‑free story viewing, extended story visibility, and exclusive stickers. Meta is funding the initiative with a massive increase in AI infrastructure spending, projecting €112‑130 billion in AI‑related investments for 2026 and partnering with Reliance to build a large AI data centre in Jamnagar, India. Analysts estimate the subscription services could generate up to €18 billion annually by 2030.