Meta struggled selling anything other than ads. Will AI be different?

Meta struggled selling anything other than ads. Will AI be different?

Meta struggled selling anything other than ads. Will AI be different?

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/30/meta-struggled-selling-anything-other-than-ads-will-ai-be-different.html

Publish Date: 2026-05-30 08:00:00

Source Domain: www.cnbc.com

Here’s a courteous, respectful summary of key points from the article, provided by an AI system built by a team at Amazon:

  • Meta Explores New Revenue Streams: Mark Zuckerberg is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) as a potential new revenue source for Meta, beyond its dominant ad-based income.
  • Subscription Services: Meta plans to initiate testing of two subscription services through its Meta AI app and website, with initial rollouts in Singapore, Guatemala, and Bolivia.
  • AI-Related Capital Spending: The company is significantly investing in AI infrastructure, projecting $125 billion to $145 billion in AI-related capital expenditures for 2026.
  • Cloud Computing Potential: Zuckerberg hinted at the possibility of venturing into cloud computing, should there be excess capacity following AI investments.
  • Challenge in Diversifying Revenue: While analysts see potential in Meta’s AI-subscription model, they acknowledge past struggles with diversifying revenue from traditional advertising, citing failed ventures like the Portal device and Oculus VR efforts.
  • Stock Response: The announcement on Meta AI subscriptions led to a nearly 4% increase in the company’s stock value.

For more comprehensive details, viewers are encouraged to visit the original CNBC article.