Meta is preparing to launch a standalone app for its AI assistant, Meta AI, marking a significant expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities beyond Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. According to a report by CNBC, the app is expected to debut in the second quarter of this year, giving users a dedicated platform to interact with Meta AI more seamlessly. This move aligns with Meta’s broader strategy of integrating AI deeply into its ecosystem while also establishing a foothold in the increasingly competitive AI assistant market.
Meta AI was first introduced in September 2023 as a generative AI-powered chatbot integrated within Meta’s existing applications, designed to assist users in answering queries, generating images, and performing various automated tasks based on text prompts. In April 2024, Meta took a major step by replacing the search bar in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger with the Meta AI chatbot, making it a core feature of its apps. This move was aimed at increasing engagement with AI-driven search and enhancing user interactions across Meta’s platforms.
During Meta’s fourth-quarter earnings call in January 2024, CEO Mark Zuckerberg underscored the significance of artificial intelligence in the company’s future. He stated, “This is going to be the year when a highly intelligent and personalized AI assistant reaches more than 1 billion people, and I expect Meta AI to be that leading AI assistant.” While Meta AI is currently accessible within its social media platforms and through a dedicated website, it lacks a standalone application like some of its competitors. The introduction of a dedicated app could significantly enhance user experience by providing a unified space for interacting with the AI assistant, organizing past conversations, and personalizing interactions. Additionally, the app could pave the way for deeper integration with Meta’s hardware devices, such as the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, potentially enabling voice-activated commands and real-time assistance.
Zuckerberg has personally expressed his enthusiasm for a separate Meta AI app. In January, he responded to a Threads user who suggested that a dedicated app would provide a more cohesive experience for users across multiple devices. The user highlighted that such an app could streamline AI interactions, allow users to save conversation histories, and offer better customization options. Zuckerberg responded to the post with a red “100” emoji, indicating his strong approval of the idea.
Beyond functionality, Meta is also eyeing monetization opportunities for its AI assistant. Similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus and Microsoft’s Copilot Pro, Meta is considering launching premium subscription plans for Meta AI. During the company’s earnings call, Meta CFO Susan Li hinted at these revenue opportunities, stating, “There are pretty clear monetization opportunities here over time, including paid recommendations and including a premium offering.” Although Meta has not revealed specific pricing details, industry analysts anticipate that the company may introduce tiered subscription models, offering advanced AI features for paying users while maintaining a free version with basic functionality.
As of now, Meta AI boasts approximately 700 million monthly active users, with India being its largest market. Among Meta’s platforms, WhatsApp sees the highest engagement with Meta AI, followed by Facebook, where users frequently interact with the assistant to seek content recommendations, ask general questions, and generate AI-powered responses. Despite its success within Meta’s ecosystem, Meta AI’s standalone website has struggled to gain traction, generating fewer than 10 million monthly visits—a stark contrast to competitors like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which dominate the AI assistant space in terms of web traffic and app downloads.
Meta’s decision to launch a dedicated app comes at a time when the AI industry is seeing intensified competition. Google has already introduced its Gemini AI as a standalone app, and Elon Musk’s xAI-powered Grok chatbot has been integrated into X (formerly Twitter) as well as a separate application. Meanwhile, ChatGPT remains the most popular AI assistant globally, frequently topping app store charts and attracting millions of users. With competitors aggressively expanding their AI offerings, Meta’s move to develop its own app is seen as a strategic effort to cement its place in the AI race.
Internally, Meta is ramping up efforts to make Meta AI the most widely used AI assistant by the end of 2024. Reports suggest that Zuckerberg has been pressuring Meta’s AI teams to accelerate development, setting ambitious goals for the project. Employees have described an intense work culture, with some working up to seven days a week to meet the company’s targets. This reflects the urgency with which Meta is approaching its AI ambitions, as it seeks to compete with industry leaders while enhancing its AI-driven product offerings.
The upcoming Meta AI app is expected to offer features such as advanced AI conversations, interactive image generation, and deep integration with other Meta services. It may also introduce new personalization options, allowing users to tailor their AI assistant’s responses and capabilities to their preferences. Given Meta’s track record of leveraging AI for content recommendations, advertising, and social media engagement, the app could also play a role in enhancing business and advertising tools, providing AI-powered insights and customer interaction solutions.
As Meta continues to invest billions into AI research and development, the launch of this standalone app could mark a turning point in its AI strategy. With its vast user base and deep integration across multiple platforms, Meta AI has the potential to become a dominant player in the AI assistant space, provided the company can successfully deliver an innovative and compelling product.
