Meta is gearing up to launch its Meta AI chatbot as a standalone app in the second quarter of 2025, a pivotal step in CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious quest to make Meta the world’s AI leader by year-end. According to sources familiar with the confidential project, reported by CNBC on February 27, 2025, this move pits Meta directly against heavyweights like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Alphabet’s Gemini. After integrating Meta AI into its ecosystem of apps—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger—the company is now ready to unleash it as a standalone powerhouse.
From Embedded Chatbot to Solo Star
Launched in September 2023, Meta AI started as a generative AI assistant, answering queries and creating images within Meta’s existing platforms. By April 2024, it replaced the search bar across these apps, becoming a core feature for billions of users. Zuckerberg has since positioned Meta AI as the flagship showcase of his company’s generative AI tech. “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,” he declared during Meta’s Q4 earnings call in January 2025.
Currently accessible only via Meta’s apps and a website, Meta AI lags behind rivals like ChatGPT and Perplexity, which offer standalone apps. The new app aims to change that, promising deeper user engagement—think unified access across smartphones and devices like Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, organized chat histories, and enhanced personalization. Zuckerberg signaled his support for this vision in January, responding to a Threads user’s suggestion with a “100” emoji, a clear nod to the standalone app concept.
A Paid Tier on the Horizon
Meta isn’t stopping at a free app. The company plans to test a paid subscription service for Meta AI, mirroring models from OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot, which charge for premium features. Finance chief Susan Li hinted at this in January, telling analysts that while Meta AI prioritizes “building a great consumer experience,” monetization opportunities like “paid recommendations and a premium offering” are in sight. This could unlock advanced capabilities, giving Meta a new revenue stream beyond its social media empire.
Meta AI’s Reach: 700 Million Users and Counting
Meta AI already boasts 700 million monthly active users as of January 2025, up from 600 million in December, with India leading as its biggest market. WhatsApp drives the most usage, followed by Facebook, where integrations like feed deep-dives let users query Meta AI about recommended content. Yet, its standalone website trails competitors, pulling fewer than 10 million monthly views compared to ChatGPT’s dominance, according to Business of Apps data editor David Curry. The app launch could close that gap, especially as ChatGPT tops Sensor Tower’s 2025 mobile app download rankings, followed by Gemini, ByteDance’s Doubao, and Copilot.
The AI Race Heats Up
Meta’s standalone app follows similar plays by Google and Elon Musk’s xAI. Google rolled out a dedicated Gemini app for iOS and Android in 2024, recently nudging iOS users to download it standalone. xAI debuted a Grok iOS app in January 2025, expanding beyond X. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s Sam Altman cheekily responded to Meta’s news with an X post: “ok fine maybe we’ll do a social app,” hinting at a counter-move.
Zuckerberg’s pushing his AI teams hard, with insiders reporting a relentless seven-day work pace to make Meta AI the world’s most-used chatbot by December 2025. “Meta is working on building some of the most important technologies of the world—AI, glasses as the next computing platform, and the future of social media,” he wrote in a January memo announcing layoffs.
What’s Next for Meta AI in 2025?
The Q2 launch could redefine Meta’s role in the AI landscape. With a standalone app, potential subscription perks, and integration into hardware like smart glasses, Meta AI is poised to leap from a social media sidekick to a standalone titan. Will it dethrone ChatGPT or outpace Gemini and Grok? As the AI race intensifies, 2025 promises to be a showdown worth watching. Stay tuned for updates on Meta’s bold AI pivot.
