Chinese authorities are reviewing Meta’s $2 billion acquisition of AI startup Manas for alleged technology control violations, the FT reported on Tuesday.
Sopa Images | Light Rocket | Getty Images
Meta Platforms plans to test a new subscription model across its apps in the coming months, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, TechCrunch reported Tuesday.
The report, confirmed by a Meta spokesperson, said the subscription will give paid users access to more features and expanded AI capabilities, which are expected to “further increase productivity and creativity.”
Meta’s recently acquired Manus suite of general-purpose AI agents will also be expanded as part of the subscription plan. In December, Meta Platforms reportedly acquired Manus, a Chinese-founded, Singapore-based AI agent developer, for $2 billion.
With the new subscription plan, Meta may be looking for a return on investment, having spent heavily on acquiring and acquiring AI talent over the last year, even before the Manas acquisition.
Meta has been developing extensive language models under the Llama umbrella, which have now been open sourced. This means that unlike paid plans from AI leaders like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, general access to Llama will remain free.
Other features offered as part of Meta’s paid plans could include full access to Vibes, an AI-powered short-form video experience that allows users to create and remix AI-generated videos.
Vibes has been free since its launch in 2025, but the new subscription model grants free access to the basic version with the option to pay for additional features.
This subscription is separate from Meta Verified, a paid product the company rolled out in 2023. Meta Verified provides content creators and businesses with verified badges, 24/7 direct support, identity theft protection, search optimization, and more.
Meta told TechCrunch that it plans to listen to its user community and gather feedback as it rolls out subscriptions in the coming months.
